ISLAMABAD — Negotiations between Pakistani officials and the Taliban over the reopening of the Torkham border crossing have ended without a resolution, Pakistani media reported on Sunday.
The border, a key trade and transit route, has been closed since February 22 following a dispute over the construction of security posts and border facilities on both sides.
According to Zia-ul-Haq Sarhadi, a member of the Pakistan-Afghanistan Joint Chamber of Commerce and Industry, nearly 5,000 trucks, including those carrying food supplies, remain stranded on both sides of the border. The prolonged closure has caused millions of dollars in losses for traders from both countries, Daily Pakistan reported.
Mawlawi Abdul Jabar Hikmat, the Taliban’s commissioner in Torkham, confirmed on Sunday that despite discussions, no agreement was reached. He said the matter has now been referred to higher authorities in Islamabad and Kabul for a final decision.
The Taliban delegation, led by Azizullah Mustafa, deputy governor of Nangarhar, and including representatives from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and other officials, proposed that the Torkham border remain open 24/7, future border closures be avoided and patients and other travelers be allowed to cross without restriction.
Hikmat stressed that the border closure is harming both trade and travelers and called for a separation of political disputes from economic matters.
Taliban have advised Afghans to avoid traveling to Torkham until further notice. Pakistani officials have not yet issued a formal statement on the latest round of negotiations.
This was the second round of talks aimed at reopening the border. A previous attempt on February 24 also ended without an agreement.
