The Torkham border between Pakistan and Afghanistan has remained closed for six consecutive days, causing significant disruptions in trade and transportation. Pakistan has expressed its regret over the attempt by the Taliban-led interim government of Afghanistan to intrude on its territory by building an unlawful structure. The Foreign Office (FO) spokesperson, Mumtaz Zahra Baloch, urged Afghanistan to respect Pakistan’s sovereignty.
On September 6, Afghan troops engaged in indiscriminate firing, targeting Pakistani military posts and causing damage to the infrastructure at the Torkham border terminal. This act posed a risk to the lives of both Pakistani and Afghan civilians. According to Baloch, this firing occurred when Afghan troops were stopped from constructing unlawful structures. Pakistan condemns such actions and calls for a peaceful resolution to the issue.
In response to Afghanistan’s statement on the border closure, Baloch expressed surprise, stating that the Afghan interim authorities were well aware of the reasons for the temporary closure. She also highlighted that the Afghan Ministry of Foreign Affairs included irrelevant comments and unsolicited advice about Pakistan’s economy and foreign trade. While Pakistan has facilitated Afghan transit trade for several decades and will continue to do so, the misuse of the transit trade agreement cannot be allowed.
Pakistan is ready to resolve all bilateral issues and concerns through constructive dialogue, with a focus on economic connectivity and prosperity for both countries. However, it expects the Afghan interim authorities to respect its concerns, uphold Pakistan’s territorial integrity, and prevent the use of Afghan territory for terrorist attacks against Pakistan.
Pakistan emphasizes that it cannot accept the construction of any structures on its territory, as this violates its sovereignty. The unprovoked and indiscriminate firing on Pakistani border posts cannot be justified under any circumstances. Such actions only embolden terrorist elements. Pakistan has consistently exercised restraint and prioritized dialogue in the face of unwarranted provocations by Afghan troops along the Pakistan-Afghanistan border. Temporary closures occur only in extreme cases, such as the September 6 incident or when Afghan soil is used for launching terror attacks on Pakistan.
The Afghan Ministry of Foreign Affairs has described the border closure and firing on Afghan security forces by Pakistan as a violation of good neighborly relations. It has accused Pakistan of creating continuous problems at Karachi port and unjustifiably closing the Torkham crossing during harvest time for Afghanistan’s vegetables and fruits. This, according to Afghanistan, harms trade and transit relations between the two countries.
Efforts to reach an agreement over the reopening of the Torkham border during a meeting between Pakistani and Afghan border security officials were inconclusive. This has further worsened the situation for transporters and stranded Afghans. The closure of the border has severely impacted transporters, who are now left guarding their merchandise on the roadside for fear of theft. They are facing financial difficulties after exhausting the travel expense provided by exporters and contractors. Daily wage earners and porters have also been affected, as they are no longer allowed to go near the crossing.
The closure of the Torkham border has resulted in losses for Pakistan, amounting to Rs360 million in the last six days. Custom officials at Torkham estimate that goods worth $14.4 million could not be exported to Afghanistan during this period. The closure has caused significant disruptions to bilateral trade between the two countries.
It is hoped that the two neighboring countries can find a resolution to the current border issues and restore normalcy to trade and transportation.