ISLAMABAD — More than 5,000 trucks and cargo vehicles remain stranded on both sides of the Torkham border crossing between Pakistan and Afghanistan, as the closure stretches into its seventh day on Friday, disrupting trade and travel.
Quoted by the Associated Press, Zia-ul-Haq Sarhadi, director of the Pakistan-Afghanistan Joint Chamber of Commerce and Industry, said that the vehicles, many of them carrying perishable goods such as fruits and vegetables, are stuck due to the prolonged shutdown.
Pakistani customs officials said on Thursday, Feb. 27, that the closure has resulted in approximately $12 million in trade losses to investors on both sides.
The closure of the key border crossing has severely impacted bilateral trade and left hundreds of travelers stranded in harsh winter conditions. Business owners and traders report mounting financial losses as shipments remain stalled.
The border was closed on Feb. 22 after the Taliban began constructing new facilities on the Afghan side, prompting Pakistani authorities to shut the crossing in protest.
Despite negotiations between Taliban and Pakistani officials, no agreement has been reached to reopen the route. Pakistan has demanded an immediate halt to construction along the border, a condition the Taliban have so far refused to accept.
The standoff has added strain to already tense relations between the two neighbors, with no clear resolution in sight.
