KABUL — The Torkham border crossing, a critical trade and transit route between Afghanistan and Pakistan, will partially reopen on Wednesday afternoon for freight trucks, commercial goods, and medical patients, Taliban officials said.
A full reopening for all travelers and trade is scheduled for Friday, March 21, according to Kazimullah Adel, a spokesman for the Taliban governor in Nangarhar.
Pakistani media confirmed the decision, reporting that Taliban and Pakistani officials held a meeting at the Torkham customs office on the Afghan side, where they agreed on temporary measures to ease restrictions.
However, a full reopening remains contingent on the repair of Pakistan’s immigration office, which was damaged during recent clashes between Pakistani and Taliban border forces.
The border has been closed for 27 days, with Pakistani officials attributing the shutdown to the Taliban’s construction of new border outposts.
The prolonged closure has taken a heavy toll on trade, with reports estimating that businesses on both sides have suffered losses of approximately $3 million per day.
