Pakistan and Afghanistan reopened their main border crossing, the Torkham border, on Wednesday. The border had been closed for nearly a month following clashes between security forces. These clashes started on February 21, after Afghan forces protested Pakistan’s construction of a border outpost, leading to mortar and rocket exchanges.
Initially, the Torkham crossing will open for trade, according to Pakistani official Riaz Khan Mehsud. From Friday, people will also be allowed to cross on foot. The reopening comes after an agreement between both governments to resume transit trade and ease tensions at the border.
Since the closure, truckloads of supplies, mainly food, had been stranded at the crossing. Afghanistan, facing a humanitarian crisis, depends on these imports for its food security. The closure had severely impacted the supply of essential goods, especially to Afghanistan, which is experiencing hunger and shortages.
Trade between Pakistan and Afghanistan reached over $1.6 billion in 2024, according to Pakistan’s foreign office. With the reopening, both nations hope to restore normal trade flow and ease the ongoing crisis.