Torkham Border Closed For Fourth Day As Taliban-Pakistan Talks Fail
The Torkham border crossing has remained closed for the fourth consecutive day, with negotiations between Taliban border officials and Pakistan failing to yield any results.
The Torkham border crossing has remained closed for the fourth consecutive day, with negotiations between Taliban border officials and Pakistan failing to yield any results.
Sources at Torkham confirmed to Afghanistan International on Monday that discussions between senior officials from both sides regarding the reopening of the vital crossing ended without resolution.
Meanwhile, the Afghanistan-Pakistan Joint Chamber of Commerce and Industry issued a statement on Monday, warning that the prolonged closure has left thousands of passengers and approximately 5,000 cargo trucks stranded on both sides of the border.
Zia-ul-Haq Sarhadi, deputy of the chamber, stated that many of the stranded trucks are carrying perishable goods such as meat, poultry, vegetables, and fresh fruits, which risk spoilage if the border is not reopened immediately. Officials from the chamber have urged both Pakistan and the Taliban to resolve the issue swiftly.
Pakistan closed the Torkham border crossing late on Friday night. Pakistani media, citing a government official at Torkham, reported that tensions escalated after Pakistan’s border forces installed a signboard at the crossing, known as “Pakistan Gate.” In response, Taliban border forces constructed a security post, leading to clashes between the two sides and the subsequent closure of the border.
Torkham is the most critical border crossing between Afghanistan and Pakistan, facilitating the majority of trade between the two nations. Since the Taliban’s return to power, the crossing has been closed multiple times due to border clashes, severely impacting traders—particularly Afghan exporters of fresh produce to Pakistan—who suffer significant financial losses with each closure.
