The Torkham crossing remains closed to all traffic even after eight days. Some passengers and drivers said that they are facing many challenges due to the closure of this crossing.
Residents of Nangarhar said that every year Pakistan blocks this crossing during Afghanistan’s harvest season of agricultural goods, particularly fruits and vegetables, under a variety of pretexts.
“There are some patients who are not getting better here; they have traveled to Pakistan multiple times and received treatment there; some have received only partial care, and they are currently in a very bad condition,” said Baitullah Rahmani, a resident of Nangarhar.
“There are grapes, onions, and tomatoes; everything is spoiling and being sold for half off,” said Shamurahman, a driver.
Passengers and truck drivers asked the officials to immediately open this crossing for traffic.
“The weight of the cargo on the cars affects the tires. Every driver spends between 30,000 and 50,000 afghani per month,” said Nawshad, a resident of Nangarhar.
“This is the second time Pakistan, our neighbor, has closed Torkham crossing during the season of vegetables and fruits in Afghanistan, causing serious financial and economic losses for our countrymen,” said Asif Khan, a resident of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.
The local Nangarhar officials expressed optimism that the crossing will open to traffic soon.
“Efforts are being made to open this road to the public as soon as possible. We hope that our citizens will refrain from traveling to Torkham until we notify them,” said Arafat Mohajer, director of information at the Department of Information and Culture of Nangarhar at Torkham crossing.
On Wednesday of last week, the Pakistani border guards responded militarily to the Islamic Emirate’s building of a security outpost 400 meters from the Durand Line, which caused the closing of the Torkham crossing.
