Pak-Afghan border shut for third day over bunker dispute

The Torkham border crossing between Pakistan and Afghanistan remained closed for a third consecutive day, disrupting trade and travel, after Afghan forces built a checkpoint near the zero point, escalating tensions between the two nations.

Pakistani security officials, speaking on condition of anonymity, told Nukta that Afghan forces were constructing a bunker within 500 meters of the border, a move deemed unacceptable by Islamabad. “Such a post poses a direct threat to Pakistan’s security and could also provide Afghan forces with a tactical advantage,” an official said.

Both sides have reinforced their positions, heightening concerns over a potential armed confrontation. Pakistani authorities have relocated customs, immigration, and police personnel from Torkham Bazaar to Landikotal as a precaution.

Travelers and traders stranded

The closure has left hundreds of travelers and truck drivers stranded.

Rafiq, a resident of Ghazni, Afghanistan, said he was returning from Pakistan after seeking medical treatment but is now stuck. “There are no hotel rooms available, and we have run out of money. We have been sitting under the open sky for three days, hoping the border will reopen,” he said.

Taliban security personnel stand guard near the closed gates of Torkham border crossing between Afghanistan and Pakistan. AFP

Murad Khan, another Afghan national, said he has no relatives in Pakistan and has run out of money. “I urge both governments to find a solution so we can return home,” he pleaded.

Mustafa, a truck driver, said his vehicle is loaded with goods that could spoil. “We are not allowed to move beyond the Machni post in Khyber district. I am losing around PKR 10,000 daily just for food and accommodation,” he said.

Economic impact

The closure has further strained trade between the two countries.

Shamim Shahid, a Pakistani expert on Afghan affairs, said Pakistan is trying to pressure the Afghan Taliban on security issues, including the TTP and the Durand Line. “During Dr. Najib and Hamid Karzai’s tenures, the border was never closed for days. Now, frequent shutdowns cause significant economic losses,” he said.

He noted that bilateral trade, once at $5 billion in 2005-06, has now dwindled to mere millions. “Afghanistan is increasingly shifting its trade towards Iran and Central Asia,” he added.

Ongoing negotiations

Abdul Jabbar Hikmat, the Afghan commissioner for Torkham, criticized Pakistan’s stance. “We have never objected to Pakistan building a post, so Pakistan should not have objections to a checkpoint within our territory,” he said.

Afghan refugees head towards the Pakistan-Afghanistan Torkham border in November following an expulsion order from Islamabad. AFP

Hikmat said Afghan officials have contacted their Pakistani counterparts to resolve the issue.

Pakistani security sources confirmed ongoing talks but insisted that Pakistan “will not, under any circumstances, allow the construction of a bunker within 500 meters of the border’s zero point.”