Pak-Afghan border crossings opened temporarily

Decision was taken on the request of the Afghan government so that its citizens could return to their country

CHAMAN, KHYBER: The government on Monday temporarily reopened the border crossings to Afghanistan to facilitate the return of Afghan nationals to their country.

The decision was taken at the request of the Afghan government to open the border crossings at Chaman and Torkham.

The federal government opened the border for one-way pedestrian traffic. According to Customs officials, only Afghan citizens could cross the border whereas Pakistani citizens are not allowed to return.



The bilateral trade between the two countries and NATO supply will remain suspended.

Earlier in March, the traders’ community in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (K-P) demanded that the government reopen the Torkham border to at least allow goods trucks, especially those loaded with perishable items, to avoid huge financial losses to businesspersons apart from maintaining the cross-border trade with Afghanistan.

The demand was made by the Sarhad Chamber of Commerce and Industry (SCCI) President Maqsood Anwar Pervaiz.