Afghan border closed again after 55,000 return home in two days
islamabad — Pakistani officials said authorities have again closed the two main border crossings with Afghanistan after a temporary, twoday opening that enabled nearly 55,000 people to cross the border.
The crossings were initially closed after a string of militant attacks in Pakistan last month killed over 125 people.
Islamabad has accused Kabul of failing to take action against terrorist sanctuaries in Afghanistan’s border regions. Kabul has denied the allegation.
Border management officials Fayyaz Khan and Irfan Toor said on Thursday that the Torkham and Chaman crossings would be shut
51k
afghans and 4,900 Pakistanis returned to their
respective countries
indefinitely. More than 51,000 Afghans and 2,700 Pakistanis crossed to their respective countries in twodays.
Pakistan opened the border on Tuesday for two days at Torkham in Khyber tribal region and Chaman in Balochistan province which are the most popular routes to travel to Afghanistan. Over 32,000 Afghans and 2,700 Pakistanis crossed into their respective countries via the Torkham and Chaman crossing points on Wednesday, the last day of reopening of the border, Dawn reported.
“In two days, over 51,000 Afghans and 4,900 Pakistanis returned to their respective countries after the Pakistan government reopened the border crossings on Tuesday,” the report said. At Torkham, the Frontier Corps in collaboration with the political administration made elaborate security and immigration arrangements in order to facilitate swift and speedy return of Afghans.