TORKHAM:
After weeks of disruption, the Torkham border immigration section was fully restored on Saturday, allowing pedestrian movement between Pakistan and Afghanistan.
According to immigration officials, only travellers holding valid passports and visas will be permitted to cross into Afghanistan.
The pedestrian crossing was initially scheduled to reopen last Friday.
However, a technical malfunction in the immigration system delayed the resumption of foot traffic.
Officials revealed that the immigration system was damaged on February 21 during armed clashes between Pakistani and Afghan forces. Gunfire from Afghan troops reportedly impacted the system, causing a shutdown of immigration services.
The border crossing was partially reopened 25 days later, on Wednesday, but only for freight vehicles and medical emergencies. With repair work completed, regular pedestrian movement has resumed.
The border was reopened following a series of jirgas involving tribal elders, religious scholars, and traders from both sides. Sources familiar with the negotiations earlier told The Express Tribune that the Afghan Taliban ultimately conceded to Pakistan’s demand to halt work on the disputed checkpoint.
A flag meeting between officials of both countries was held before the reopening of the vital trade route.
Torkham remains a crucial transit point between Pakistan and Afghanistan, with an average of 10,000 passengers crossing the border daily.
The restoration of pedestrian movement is expected to ease travel for thousands who rely on the route for trade, medical treatment and family visits.
The movement of people across the Torkham border crossing came to an abrupt halt on February 21 after tensions emerged between Pakistani and Afghan security forces over construction activities on both sides.
The situation escalated further this month when an exchange of fire between Pakistani forces and Afghan Taliban troops left eight people wounded, including six soldiers.
Afghan officials reported that thousands of passengers remain stranded on both sides due to the closure, leading to severe congestion at the border.
The head of the information department in Afghanistan’s Nangarhar province urged travellers to wait at least two days to avoid inconvenience caused by the heavy traffic, assuring that congestion would ease within the next two to three days.
The developments coincide with a meeting between Pakistan’s special representative to Afghanistan, Mohammad Sadiq, and Afghan Foreign Minister Maulvi Amir Khan Muttaqi on Saturday.
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