PESHAWAR – Pakistani authorities on Sunday reopened the Pak-Afghan Torkham border, which was earlier sealed after the Taliban hoisted a flag of the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan.
Soon after Taliban militants captured the governor house of Nangarhar, the Torkham border was sealed by Pakistani authorities for all sorts of traffic.
Scores of Taliban fighters and leaders reached the Torkham border and fired shots in the air to show their presence. The Pakistan Army also deployed soldiers to avoid any mishap on the border.
The insurgents then took over the offices in Torkham at the Afghan side of the border and the Customs house.
However, after a brief meeting between border authorities and Taliban representatives, it was decided to permit food trucks to enter Pakistan from the neighboring country, Landi Kotal Assistant Commissioner Akbar Iftikhar told a publication.
Pakistan shuts Torkham border after Taliban seize border crossing
Traders also hailed the decision of border authorities allowing the trucks to cross the border.
Earlier, hundreds of edibles laden trucks other than trade goods got stranded near Torkham following the Taliban takeover of Nangarhar province of Afghanistan. The pedestrian movement was, however, closed as before.
On May 8, Pakistan imposed a ban on cross-border pedestrian movement in wake of Covid cases throughout Afghanistan. The government, however, allowed Afghans stranded in Pakistan to go back to their country.
