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“In Islamabad, the Torkham border connecting Afghanistan and Pakistan will reopen today (Friday) after a week-long closure due to cross-border attacks in Chitral, as reported by the media. Customs officials have confirmed the resumption of trade activities, including the import/export of goods and vehicle transit, along with pedestrian traffic.
The decision to reopen the border followed a meeting between Acting Afghan Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi and Pakistan’s Head of Mission in Kabul, Ubaid Ur Rehman Nizamani. During the meeting, Afghan authorities provided assurances that Afghan territory would not be used against Pakistan.
Read more : Border crossing at Torkham closed; locals hear shooting
The border closure stemmed from a clash between the security forces of both countries, triggered by a dispute over the construction of a bunker by the interim Afghan government on the Afghan side, particularly on a hill near the border.
Pakistan had requested the halt of this construction, citing it as a violation of international law, but the Afghan side did not comply. This led to increased tensions and the subsequent border closure. During the dispute, mortar shells from the Afghan side hit various offices, including the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) and Customs, as well as a mosque and the Bacha Mena border village on the Pakistani side, with no reported casualties. The exchange of gunfire lasted approximately three hours, resulting in injuries to Frontier Corps soldier Maqsood, who was hospitalized. The border closure left many individuals, including travelers, patients, women, children, and goods-carrying trucks, stranded on both sides, leading to the temporary closure of numerous government and private offices.”
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