Web desk: The Pak-Afghan Torkham Border is set to reopen tomorrow morning, according to sources.
Customs staff have been instructed to report for duty as well, sources say. Officials said that only Afghan refugees will be allowed to cross into Afghanistan through the Torkham Gate during this phase of reopening.
Pak-Afghan Torkham Border
The Pak-Afghan Torkham Border is a busy land crossing between Pakistan’s Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province and Afghanistan’s Nangarhar province.
It connects both countries through the Grand Trunk Road.
The border is currently closed for trade and travel due to recent clashes and security tensions between Pakistani and Afghan forces.
Because of the closure, hundreds of trucks are stuck, and prices of essential items like tomatoes and apples have gone up.
Foreign Office spokesperson Tahir Hussain Andrabi said on Friday that the Afghan Taliban government has admitted the presence of the Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) and other terrorist groups inside Afghanistan.
The statement came after both countries agreed to maintain a ceasefire and hold talks following the recent border conflict.
The talks were held in Istanbul, with mediation from Turkiye and Qatar. This was the second round of discussions after the first round in Doha on October 18 and 19.
Negotiations almost broke down on Wednesday when Pakistan raised its concern over terror attacks coming from Afghanistan. However, Turkiye and Qatar helped restart the dialogue and prevented a collapse.
Khawaja Asif: ‘Ceasefire can’t be effective until terrorism stops’
Defence Minister Khawaja Asif said that Pakistan and Afghanistan have reached an interim agreement with the help of Turkiye and Qatar.
He told a private news channel that another round of talks will take place on November 6.
Asif said Pakistan’s main demand is to stop terrorism coming from Afghan soil. He said there is some hope for progress, mainly because of the role played by Qatar and Turkiye.
The minister added that there have been some ceasefire violations from the Afghan side. He said the ceasefire cannot be effective until terrorism completely stops.
