Torkham border closure enters fifth day despite ceasefire

Tensions at border persist as FBR suspends all Afghan transit trade as well

 

 

PESHAWAR – Though clashes between Pakistani and Afghan forces have ceased following a temporary ceasefire, the Torkham border crossing remained closed for the fifth consecutive day on Thursday, causing long queues of stranded vehicles on both sides.

According to security sources, a four-day-long exchange of fire between the border forces of the two countries came to a halt after an agreement for a 48-hour ceasefire was reached. However, tension at the border persists despite the truce.

The continued closure of the Torkham trade gateway has suspended both cargo transportation and pedestrian movement. Thousands of vehicles, including cargo trucks, remain stranded along the Pakistan-Afghanistan highway due to the border shutdown.

Sources said that, on average, around 2,000 cargo vehicles and nearly 10,000 people cross the border daily through the Torkham point. The prolonged closure has severely disrupted trade and mobility, leaving traders and transporters facing mounting losses on both sides.

Meanwhile, the Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) has also suspended all Afghan Transit Trade at Karachi Port and Port Qasim, following recent unrest and border closures between Pakistan and Afghanistan.

The directive, issued during a meeting chaired by the Director General of the Custom House, Karachi states that, effective immediately, all gate passes for Afghan Transit consignments have been cancelled, and clearance of related cargo has been suspended.

According to Office Order 98 of 2025, the suspension was prompted by the closure of the Pak-Afghan border, which led to a significant buildup of cargo at Karachi terminals and border customs stations.



Aziz Buneri
Aziz Buneri
Aziz Buneri covers financial, social, political and regional issues for Pakistan Today and Profit. He can be reached at [email protected]

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