No Decision Yet On Reopening Torkham Border Crossing, Says Pak Official

Abdul Jabbar Hikmat, the Taliban commissioner at Torkham, stated on Friday night that Pakistani authorities had shut the gate due to ongoing infrastructure work carried out by the Taliban.

In a video statement, Hikmat criticised Pakistan’s actions, saying, “Pakistanis always treat us this way. Torkham is a vital trade route, with 700 to 800 trucks passing through daily and around 4,000 to 5,000 passengers travelling via this crossing. We have asked the Pakistani authorities to explain the reason for the closure and reopen the gate, but they have not responded so far.”

The border closure has caused significant difficulties for travellers, including patients, women, and children, while also disrupting trade, leaving cargo trucks stranded on both sides.

Local sources in Kunar and Nangarhar provinces reported recent clashes between Taliban forces and Pakistani border guards. The skirmishes reportedly occurred separately in Shali Dara village, Khas Kunar district of Kunar province, and in Goshta district of Nangarhar province.

This is not the first time Pakistan has shut the Torkham crossing, which the Pakistani government has frequently used as leverage against the Taliban.

Over the past three and a half years, relations between the Taliban and Pakistan have remained tense. Despite Islamabad’s initial support for the Taliban, ongoing border disputes, cross-border attacks by armed groups, and trade disagreements have repeatedly strained ties.

As of now, Pakistani authorities have not issued an official statement regarding the border closure.

In a statement, the group said the operation took place on Saturday evening. A video shared on the X social media platform shows vehicles moving at night, followed by an explosion visible from a distance.

The AFF described the attack as a “successful operational mission” but did not provide further details.

The AFF is one of the armed groups opposed to the Taliban and has previously claimed responsibility for attacks on Taliban checkpoints and outposts. Local residents occasionally report explosions in Kabul, though the Taliban rarely acknowledge such incidents.

Zabihullah Sadat, head of archaeology at the ministry, stated that these historical sites are located in the districts of Mehtarlam, Qarghayi, Alingar, and Alishang.

According to Sadat, most of these sites date back to the pre-Islamic and Buddhist periods, particularly the Mauryan and Kushan eras. He noted that 27 historical sites in Laghman have been identified and registered, including three in Mehtarlam, six in Qarghayi, 14 in Alingar, and four in Alishang.

On Saturday, the Taliban’s Ministry of Information and Culture issued a statement announcing the discovery of three inscriptions in Alishang district, written in the Brahmi Sharada script. The ministry stated that these inscriptions have yet to be deciphered and require further research.

Despite their history of destroying the Bamiyan Buddha statues, the Taliban now refer to historical monuments and ancient sites as Afghanistan’s “spiritual treasures” and have pledged to protect them.

Human rights activists have voiced concern over her possible deportation to Afghanistan and are working to prevent it.
Mousavi’s husband, Mahmood Qasemi, confirmed her arrest in an interview with Afghanistan International’s Pashto section. He stated that Pakistani authorities transferred her, along with other refugees, to a migrant camp. “We have contacted all organisations working on refugee issues, but we have not yet received any news,” Qasemi said.

Rahila Talash, a human rights activist and close friend of Mousavi, told Afghanistan International that she has been moved to a deportation camp. She expressed hope that intervention efforts would prevent her forced return to Afghanistan. Talash added that Pakistani police took Mousavi to the camp along with her two-and-a-half-year-old daughter. She warned that the deportation of journalists and human rights defenders, particularly women, would put them in grave danger.

Talash called on international human rights organisations and the United Nations to take immediate action against the forced expulsion of Afghan refugees. She stressed that sending activists back to Afghanistan would be equivalent to putting their lives at risk.

The Pakistani government, in a meeting led by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on 29 January, approved the mass deportation of Afghan refugees. Following this decision, authorities in Islamabad launched a widespread crackdown, detaining and deporting thousands of Afghan citizens. The Taliban embassy in Islamabad has confirmed that the plan to expel all Afghan migrants from Rawalpindi and Islamabad, except those with valid visas, has been finalised and will be strictly enforced.

The message states: “Individuals who transport and relocate foreign nationals without legal residence permits will be punished.”

This warning is part of the Islamic Republic of Iran’s ongoing crackdown on Afghan migrants in the country.

Iranian authorities have already criminalised the employment, rental, and purchase of housing and vehicles for undocumented migrants. Additionally, restrictions have been imposed on their presence in designated areas.

The arrest and deportation of Afghan migrants have intensified, with Iran’s Interior Minister announcing that 1.2 million Afghan nationals have been expelled since the beginning of this year.

Iranian officials have also urged citizens to report any sightings of undocumented migrants to the police.