By Staff Reporter
LANDIKOTAL, PAKISTAN: Torkham border — a key border crossing between Pakistan and Afghanistan — remained closed for the fifth consecutive day on Friday due to unknown reasons despite several rounds of talks and the Afghan Taliban’s agreement to reopen it, local media reported.
Afghan authorities had closed Torkham, the main point of transit for goods and travellers between Pakistan and Afghanistan. The Afghan border security forces had also opened fire and injured a Pakistani soldier at the Ayub checkpoint, located at the hilltop near the Pak-Afghan border.
Long queues of people at the border crossing
A large number of passengers headed to Torkham from Afghanistan and Pakistan after they heard about the reopening of the border crossing. Long queues of the people were seen on both sides of the border waiting outside the Customs and Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) offices to get their travel papers cleared but they were not allowed to proceed to their destinations after the hours-long wait.
Local media quoted an official, on the condition of anonymity, saying that the pressure of loaded trucks and passengers had gradually increased in the past week. He said they were looking to their high-ups to formally notify them of the reopening of the border crossing.
