The Torkham border, a crucial crossing point connecting Pakistan andAfghanistan, has remained inaccessible for a week, causing considerabledisruptions to trade convoys and travelers. The closure of this vitalborder, one of the primary links between the two neighboring nations, wasinitiated following an exchange of gunfire during a dispute, leavinghundreds of trucks loaded with essential goods stranded on both sides.
Efforts to resolve the situation have been made through meetings betweenPakistani and Afghan authorities, but unfortunately, these discussions haveyielded no conclusive results.
The recent escalation of tensions began when Taliban guards initiated theconstruction of a new security post near the Torkham border. Pakistanviewed this as a violation of mutual agreements, leading to the closure.
Pakistan expressed its surprise at the Afghan foreign ministry’s statementregarding the border’s closure, emphasizing that the interim Afghanauthorities were fully aware of the reasons behind the temporary shutdown.
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The Pakistani Foreign Office spokesperson, Mumtaz Zahra Baloch, stated thatPakistan could not tolerate the construction of any structures by theinterim Afghan government within its territory, as this action infringedupon its sovereignty.
Furthermore, Baloch highlighted that on September 6th, instead of pursuinga peaceful resolution, Afghan troops engaged in indiscriminate firing,targeting Pakistani military posts and causing damage to the infrastructureat the Torkham Border Terminal. Such actions posed significant risks to thelives of both Pakistani and Afghan civilians, especially when attempting toerect unauthorized structures. Baloch firmly asserted that this unprovokedand indiscriminate firing on Pakistani border posts could not be justifiedunder any circumstances.
