Islamabad, March 19 (IANS) The Torkham border crossing between Pakistan and Afghanistan was opened at 1 PM, Pakistan time, on Wednesday after remaining closed for 25 days.
The border was sealed on February 21 after heated arguments over border disputes fueled tensions between the two countries.
The situation became worse after March 4 when talks between the two sides for reopening of the border failed and border security forces from both sides exchanged heavy fire. The ensuing clashes resulted in the death of an Afghan Taliban border guard and injuries to two others.
Since then, regular negotiations were being held between local tribal elders and through diplomatic channels to normalise the situation.
A flag meeting was held at the border on Wednesday morning in which representatives from both sides were present. The decision to open the important trade route was announced after the meeting. Moreover, a ceasefire has been mutually agreed upon by both Pakistan and Afghanistan, which will remain in place until the next meeting of the Joint Coordination Committee (JCC).
“We are satisfied with the Afghan authorities’ decision. They have agreed to remove the controversial construction that had led to tensions between the two sides,” said Syed Jawad Hussain Kazmi, head of the Pakistani Tribal Jirga.
The Torkham border crossing is the most important trade route between the two countries as it facilitates daily trade of about $3 million and sees through a movement of over 10,000 people.
However, on February 21, problems surfaced when the Afghan forces attempted to construct a military checkpoint near the border. Pakistan’s Frontier Corps (FC) raised objection to the construction, claiming that the checkpoint was being constructed on the Pakistani side of the border. This ultimately led to the shutdown of the border crossing.
On March 9, the Pakistani jirga met with a delegation from the Afghan Chamber of Commerce, conveying an official message about strict adherence to the agreed protocols with border reopening.
“The joint jirga agreed to an immediate ceasefire and a second session was scheduled on March 17 which was attended by a 36-member delegation from Pakistan. They held talks with a 25-member delegation of the Afghan Taliban,” said Kazmi, head of the Pakistani delegation.
“The jirga also agreed that there will be a ceasefire until the 15th day of April and both countries will not carry out construction in the disputed areas,” he added.
The decision is being taken as a positive move from both sides because it would not only restore economic activity, but will also help in de-escalating the persisting tensions between the two countries along the porous borders.
–IANS
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