UN aid containers enter Afghanistan via Pakistan after special clearance
Pakistan cleared 21 UN aid containers to enter Afghanistan via the Torkham border crossing, despite the border being closed since last October
Kamran Ali
Correspondent Nukta
Kamran Ali, a seasoned journalist from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan, has a decade of experience covering terrorism, human rights, politics, economy, climate change, culture, and sports. With an MS in Media Studies, he has worked across print, radio, TV, and digital media, producing investigative reports and co-hosting shows that highlight critical issues.
The shipment moved despite Pakistan-Afghanistan border crossings remaining closed for the past nine months.
Nukta
Pakistan allowed 21 containers of United Nations food aid to cross into Afghanistan on Tuesday through the Torkham border, after Islamabad granted special clearance on July 7.
The shipment moved despite Pakistan-Afghanistan border crossings remaining closed for the past nine months.
How many aid containers entered Afghanistan through Torkham?
Pakistan customs officials said 21 containers carrying UN food aid crossed into Afghanistan through the Torkham border crossing after completing clearance procedures. The consignment reached Torkham on Monday, a day after the federal government approved its transit. Officials said aid shipments will keep moving under agreed procedures so assistance reaches people in need without delay.
How many containers will cross into Afghanistan overall?
The shipment is part of a wider humanitarian operation involving about 1,000 aid containers. Sources said these containers are expected to move into Afghanistan in phases over the coming week. Pakistan's Ministry of Foreign Affairs granted the special permission after a request from the United Nations.
Why has the Pakistan-Afghanistan border been closed?
Border crossings between Pakistan and Afghanistan have remained closed since Oct. 12, with only the repatriation of Afghan nationals permitted during that period. The closure followed a series of security incidents, including explosions in Kabul on Oct. 9 last year. Taliban forces then launched retaliatory attacks along the Pakistan border, causing deaths, injuries and damage to infrastructure.
Pakistan has repeatedly accused militant groups of using Afghan territory to launch cross-border attacks. Taliban authorities in Kabul have consistently denied those allegations.
Are Pakistan and Afghanistan holding talks to reopen the border?
Pakistani and Taliban officials have held several rounds of talks in Qatar, Turkey and China since the closure, aimed at easing tensions and reopening the crossings. The negotiations, however, have not yet produced a lasting breakthrough.
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