NATIONAL NEWS
PESHAWAR: After remaining closed for nearly three weeks, the Torkham border crossing has been partially reopened to allow the deportation of undocumented Afghan nationals from Pakistan, officials confirmed on Friday.
Authorities clarified that the border has been opened exclusively for repatriation purposes and will remain shut for trade and pedestrian movement until further notice.
According to Deputy Commissioner Khyber Bilal Shahid, the reopening is meant solely to facilitate the expulsion of illegal Afghan residents who have been residing in Pakistan without valid documentation.
He said hundreds of Afghan nationals have already reached the Torkham Immigration Center, where officials are processing their papers before allowing them to cross into Afghanistan.
“The crossing is open only for the deportation process. Trade activities and pedestrian traffic across the border will stay suspended until a new directive is issued,” DC Shahid added.
The Torkham border was sealed on October 11 amid rising tensions between Pakistan and Afghanistan. Its closure disrupted both commercial and civilian movement, leaving thousands of people stranded on both sides.
According to UNHCR spokesperson Qaiser Khan Afridi, by October 8, nearly 615,000 undocumented Afghan citizens had already been repatriated through the Torkham crossing.
Since the border’s limited reopening, large numbers of Afghan refugees have begun arriving at Torkham, seeking to return home. Immigration and security personnel remain deployed at the site to manage the process and ensure orderly crossings.
Officials say the reopening is part of Pakistan’s ongoing efforts to implement its policy on the deportation of illegal foreign nationals, while maintaining border security and diplomatic engagement with Kabul.
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