Four days have passed since the closure of the Torkham crossing, and the route remains blocked for all movement. A meeting held yesterday (Monday) between local Nangarhar officials and the Pakistani side to reopen the crossing ended without results.
Meanwhile, travelers, traders, and patients on both sides of the border are facing serious difficulties.
One traveler in Torkham told TOLOnews: “The Pakistani government is not allowing us to enter. Their forces tell us to leave, saying we are migrants. We have no money for food—I only have 100 or 150 rupees left.”
Another stranded traveler said: “Hotels refuse to give us rooms. The police come and shut down the hotels and shops. We have nowhere to sleep.”
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The prolonged closure of the Torkham crossing has also left hundreds of freight trucks stranded. Traders are urging the interim Afghan government to find a permanent solution to the issue.
Zalmai Azimi, a trader, stated: “Hundreds of trucks carrying fruit, vegetables, and other essential goods are stuck on the other side of the border. The people of Afghanistan need these supplies. If the trucks are not allowed to pass, prices will rise in Afghanistan, and traders will suffer losses.”
Hamza Khil Otmanzai, another trader, added: “Good neighborly relations mean that trade should proceed normally, which benefits both Afghanistan and Pakistan. When trade grows, it is advantageous for both countries.”
On the other hand, Nangarhar officials confirmed that their meeting with the Pakistani side to reopen Torkham ended without success. According to them, Pakistan has demanded that Afghan forces should stop constructing facilities on the Afghan side of the Pak-Afghan border.
Fazl-ul-Hadi Ahmad, head of foreign affairs in Nangarhar, commented on the meeting: “Their request was that military forces should stop building facilities on this side of the Pak-Afghan border, and then they will reopen the crossing. The Pakistani government constantly creates problems for political purposes and closes the route. When the road is blocked, it creates significant challenges for traders and ordinary citizens.”
Four days ago, Pakistani forces closed the Torkham crossing after forces of the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan were reportedly constructing facilities along the Pak-Afghan border.
This news is sourced from [Tolo News] and is for informational purposes only.
