Representatives of traders along with tribal elders from Afghanistan and Pakistan are set to meet again on Monday at the Torkham border in an effort to resolve the ongoing dispute and reopen the key crossing that has remained closed for the past 25 days, Pakistani media reported.
The meeting will take place at 12pm local time, 8am CET, on the Afghanistan side of the border, according to Syed Jawad Hussain Kazmi, who leads the 36-member Pakistani delegation.
Discussions will focus on ending border clashes and negotiating the reopening of the crossing, Kazmi said. He added that a resolution may be possible if the Taliban halt construction in disputed areas near the border.
Torkham, a vital trade and transit route between Afghanistan and Pakistan, has been shut for 25 days, leaving thousands of travelers stranded and causing significant financial losses for businesses on both sides.
Previous negotiations among tribal elders and business representatives have failed to yield a breakthrough, with the Taliban declining to participate in the second round of talks.
Pakistani officials have said the closure was prompted by Taliban efforts to build new outposts and infrastructure in contested areas. The dispute has sparked intermittent clashes between Taliban forces and Pakistani border guards, resulting in the deaths of three Taliban fighters, a Pakistani officer, and a truck driver. More than 10 others have been wounded.
