Torkham border reopens for trade after 25-day closure

Crossing was sealed on Feb.2| after clashes; bilateral trade resumes with trucks carrying commercial goods entering Afghanistan; businessmen welcome move

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Pakistan and Afghanistan on Wednesday reopened their main border crossing after clashes between the security forces of both sides led to its closure for nearly a month, officials from the two governments said.

Following the reopening of the border crossing, bilateral trade has resumed with trucks carrying commercial goods started entering Afghanistan, sources added.

The Torkham border crossing, the main artery for travel and trade between Pakistan and landlocked Afghanistan, will be initially opened for trade, Pakistan government official Riaz Khan Mehsud told Reuters, and people would be allowed to cross on foot from Friday onwards.

Qureshi Badion, head of the media department for the Afghanistan's Nangarhar province, said the two sides had agreed to reopen the crossing and resume transit trade.

Ziaul Haq Sarhadi, a director of the Pakistan-Afghanistan Joint Chamber of Commerce and Industry, welcomed the resumption of bilateral trade. He said he hoped the movement of people would resume this week.