Pakistan Shuts Down Torkham Border Crossing Amidst Dispute With Taliban
The Torkham border crossing, a pivotal point between Afghanistan and Pakistan, was shut down on Wednesday.
The Torkham border crossing, a pivotal point between Afghanistan and Pakistan, was shut down on Wednesday.
Reports from Pakistani media indicate that the closure occurred following a disagreement with Taliban forces over the placement of a new sign at the crossing's entrance. This disagreement led to the Pakistani border officials shutting down the crossing.
Taliban representatives have also confirmed the closure, attributing it to Pakistan. A statement from the Taliban governor's press office in Nangarhar, citing Ismatullah Yaqoob, the Taliban commissioner in Torkham, noted that Pakistani border guards attempted to erect an additional gate next to the existing one, ostensibly to mount a sign on what they claimed as the "presumed line" the previous night.
This Taliban official mentioned that their group obstructed the sign installation, resulting in the subsequent closure of the crossing by Pakistani guards.
Pakistani authorities, however, have yet to officially acknowledge this border closure.
