Torkham, Chaman border crossing reopen for trade, traffic

Suspension of transit trade for nearly three days at Torkham causes Rs1b loss to national kitty

PESHAWAR/QUETTA:  

The two crossing points with Afghanistan in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan have been reopened for trade and traffic after two and a half days of closures.

The Torkham border in Peshawar and Friendship Gate in Chaman had been closed for security reasons on Kabul’s request as parliamentary elections were being held in Afghanistan.

Now that the elections have culminated, the borders have been reopened.

According to sources, the suspension of transit trade due to the closure of Torkham border has caused a Rs1 billion loss to the national exchequer.



Thousands of people were stranded at the borders after the closure of all entrance and exit points with Afghanistan. The crossing points were reopened around 11am for pedestrians while trade activities resumed by 12 noon.

Torkham border authorities told The Express Tribune though thousands of people were waiting on both sides of the border and hundreds of trucks loaded with goods were stranded, “we had to honour our commitment with Kabul for cooperation” during the elections.

At the Friendship Gate, hundreds of goods containers and NATO trawlers as well as pedestrians were allowed to cross the border after it had been reopened.