Trucks, laden with goods crossing Torkham border.
Nukta
Torkham border crossing between Pakistan and Afghanistan has been shut since Feb. 21.
Pakistani security officials claim Afghan forces attempted to build a bunker within 500 meters of the border.
Trucks carrying goods are stranded at the closed border, with travelers and traders facing financial losses.
The Torkham border crossing between Pakistan and Afghanistan has been shut since Feb. 21, disrupting trade and movement as tensions rise over an attempted construction near the border.
Pakistani security officials said that Afghan forces attempted to build a bunker within 500 meters of the border, which Islamabad deemed unacceptable.
“Such a post poses a direct threat to Pakistan’s security, leading to an exchange of fire between the two sides,” an official said. The gunfire has forced many residents near the border to flee.
Trucks carrying goods stranded as Torkham border remains closed.Nukta
“I have moved my family to Landi Kotal because intense firing has been taking place every night for the past three days, posing a serious threat to lives. We appeal to both governments to resolve the issue through dialogue,” said Zarshad, a displaced resident.
Travelers and traders stranded
Noor Zeb, an Afghan truck driver, said he and others had been stuck in Pakistan’s Khyber district for days, waiting for the crossing to reopen.
“It costs around PKR 150,000 to transport a vehicle through this border, and PKR 200,000 via the Ghulam Khan border in Waziristan, and up to PKR 400,000 at the Chaman border in Balochistan. This high cost is the reason why we prefer using Torkham,” he explained.
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Muhammad Raziq, a transit transporter, said that they were forced to park their trucks near Hamza Baba’s tomb in Khyber district.
“Our trucks are loaded with goods worth PKR 3.5 million, but we are struggling due to a lack of food for suhoor and iftar. We have no other option but to starve,” he said.
The closure marks the eighth time in two years that the Torkham border has been shut, either by Pakistani or Afghan authorities.
Recurring border disputes
In August 2024, the border was closed for three days over another bunker dispute, leading to an exchange of fire that injured two Pakistani soldiers. In the same month, a two-day shutdown occurred due to protests by traders and transporters demanding a relaxation in temporary admission document (TAD) rules.
Border remains shut, halting trade, as Pakistan-Afghanistan tensions escalate over a bunker dispute.Nukta
In June, last year, the Car Bargain Association blocked the route, protesting the arrest of three individuals. Similarly, in March 2024, Pakistan objected to an Afghan bunker, prompting a temporary closure.
In December 2023, Pakistan’s installation of a "Welcome to Pakistan" signboard sparked Afghan objections, briefly shutting the border. The same year, in September, Afghan authorities assured their land wouldn’t be used against Pakistan following a checkpoint dispute that had led to a closure.
In February 2023, Afghan forces shut the crossing after Pakistan denied entry to an Afghan patient without valid travel documents.
Economic losses mount
Pakistani customs officials estimate that 10,000 pedestrians cross the Torkham border daily. Trade through the crossing includes exports worth $1.4 million and imports of $1.6 million per day, both halted due to the closure.
Journalist Farid Shinwari said the disruption costs Pakistan between $1.2 million and $2.5 million daily.
“In 2011, bilateral trade reached $2.5 billion, but constant disruptions and border closures have reduced it to $700 million,” he said.
No resolution has been announced, leaving traders, travelers, and residents waiting for an end to the standoff.
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