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KHYBER: The Torkham border, a main crossing point between Afghanistan and Pakistan, reopened to pedestrians and vehicles on Friday, eight days after it was closed following clashes between border forces of the two countries.
A large number of travellers and trucks laden with goods were stranded on both sides of the border after the shooting on Sept 6.
Immigration officials at Torkham said a three-day relaxation for going back to Afghanistan was also granted to those Afghans who had no proper travel documents but were in possession of Tazkira, the Afghan national identity card.
They said some stranded Pakistanis also returned on Friday after the reopening of the border, adding that over 10,000 Afghan nationals crossed the border from both sides till the evening.
According to Torkham customs officials, around 80 vehicles carrying export goods from Pakistan crossed into Afghanistan.
Jubilation and excitement were writ large on the faces of hundreds of stranded Afghans when they arrived at the immigration offices early on Friday morning, though in a disciplined manner.
Transporters too were overjoyed with the end of eight days of frustrated wait when they spent sleepless nights at the roadside while guarding their vehicles at night time and also impatiently waiting for the reopening of the border crossing.
Muhammad Ismail, 40, sits with his family while they are waiting to cross main Afghanistan-Pakistan land border crossing, in Torkham, Pakistan on September 15. — Reuters
Trucks and containers loaded with multiple trade goods also made a beeline towards the border crossing in anticipation of a prompt customs clearance. Traders claimed over 2,000 vehicles got stranded on the Pakistan side, in addition to containers carrying Afghan Transit Trade goods.
According to sources, the authorities in Islamabad agreed to reopen the Torkham border only after an assurance from the foreign ministry in Kabul that the Afghan territory would not be allowed to be used for attacks in Pakistan.
KHYBER: The Torkham border, a main crossing point between Afghanistan and Pakistan, reopened to pedestrians and vehicles on Friday, eight days after it was closed following clashes between border forces of the two countries.
A large number of travellers and trucks laden with goods were stranded on both sides of the border after the shooting on Sept 6.
Immigration officials at Torkham said a three-day relaxation for going back to Afghanistan was also granted to those Afghans who had no proper travel documents but were in possession of Tazkira, the Afghan national identity card.
They said some stranded Pakistanis also returned on Friday after the reopening of the border, adding that over 10,000 Afghan nationals crossed the border from both sides till the evening.
According to Torkham customs officials, around 80 vehicles carrying export goods from Pakistan crossed into Afghanistan.
Jubilation and excitement were writ large on the faces of hundreds of stranded Afghans when they arrived at the immigration offices early on Friday morning, though in a disciplined manner.
Transporters too were overjoyed with the end of eight days of frustrated wait when they spent sleepless nights at the roadside while guarding their vehicles at night time and also impatiently waiting for the reopening of the border crossing.
Muhammad Ismail, 40, sits with his family while they are waiting to cross main Afghanistan-Pakistan land border crossing, in Torkham, Pakistan on September 15. — Reuters
Trucks and containers loaded with multiple trade goods also made a beeline towards the border crossing in anticipation of a prompt customs clearance. Traders claimed over 2,000 vehicles got stranded on the Pakistan side, in addition to containers carrying Afghan Transit Trade goods.
According to sources, the authorities in Islamabad agreed to reopen the Torkham border only after an assurance from the foreign ministry in Kabul that the Afghan territory would not be allowed to be used for attacks in Pakistan.
