Pakistan has reopened the key Torkham border crossing with Afghanistan, allowing the return of Afghan refugees and the resumption of trade after more than two weeks of closure that had stranded thousands along the frontier, officials announced Saturday.

According to Pakistan’s Dawn newspaper, authorities confirmed that the border, sealed since October 11 following deadly clashes between Pakistani and Afghan border forces, has now reopened for both refugee repatriations and commercial traffic.

Quraishi Badloon, head of the Information and Culture Department in Afghanistan’s Nangarhar province, also confirmed the reopening, saying Afghan returnees were being warmly received on the Afghan side. “We welcome our returning citizens who were forced to wait for days in extremely difficult conditions,” he said.

The closure earlier this month came after an exchange of fire between troops stationed on both sides of the Torkham crossing, one of the busiest gateways for trade and movement between the two countries. The standoff halted all crossings, leaving hundreds of trucks carrying goods and thousands of refugees stranded for days on the highway between Nowshera and Torkham, many without access to food, shelter, or medical aid.

Tensions Ease Following Türkiye- and Qatar-Mediated Talks

Diplomatic tensions between Pakistan and Afghanistan have shown signs of easing after Türkiye and Qatar successfully mediated talks that led to a temporary ceasefire on October 15. The truce, initially agreed for 48 hours, was later extended following further negotiations in Doha.

After 14 hours of intensive discussions, both sides consented to establish a joint technical committee tasked with resolving border management issues and preventing future clashes. The first meeting of this committee is scheduled to take place in Istanbul on October 25.

The 2,670-kilometer border between Pakistan and Afghanistan, known as the Durand Line, includes 18 official crossings, with Torkham in Nangarhar and Spin Boldak in Kandahar being the busiest for trade and travel.

However, frequent skirmishes between border forces have repeatedly disrupted trade and passenger movement, causing significant hardship for civilians and delivering a heavy blow to Afghanistan’s fragile, landlocked economy.

The reopening of Torkham marks a cautious step toward normalizing relations and restoring stability along one of South Asia’s most sensitive frontiers. Both sides are expected to continue diplomatic engagement in the coming weeks, with hopes that the recent Turkish- and Qatari-facilitated dialogue will pave the way for a durable understanding and improved coordination on border security and refugee movements. (ILKHA)