TORKHAM: The preparations have begun to reopen the Pak-Afghan Torkham trade crossing after more than a week of closure caused by intensified border tensions.
In this regard, the cargo scanner has been reinstalled at the terminal to facilitate the clearance of commercial vehicles. The scanner was removed on the night between October 11 and 12 due to rising tensions along the border.
On the other hand, on the Afghan side, security sources reported that hundreds of passengers have already gathered near the Torkham border after receiving indications that the crossing would reopen soon.
The reopening is expected to restore movement for both passengers and trade vehicles that had been stranded since the closure.
Moreover, the Torkham border crossing, a key trade and transit route between Pakistan and Afghanistan, is vital for the exchange of goods such as fruits, vegetables, and other commodities.
The recent closure disrupted cross-border trade, leaving dozens of loaded trucks stranded on the Pakistani side. In this sense, tensions between Pakistan and Afghanistan had led to the suspension of all types of movement through Torkham earlier this month.
So far, along with Torkham, other border crossings including Ghulam Khan in North Waziristan and Angoor Adda in South Waziristan were also closed as a precautionary measure.
Meanwhile, the Torkham gateway, located in the Khyber District of Pakistan’s Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, remains one of the busiest and most vital trade corridors linking South and Central Asia.
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Its reopening is expected to bring relief to traders, transporters, and residents on both sides who rely heavily on cross-border commerce for their livelihoods.
