DNA

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan reopened a key border crossing with neighbouring Afghanistan to all types of traffic on Saturday. The Torkham border, which connects Pakistan’s northwestern Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province to neighboring Afghanistan’s eastern Nangarhar province, was shut down unilaterally by the interim Taliban administration last week. Later the Afghan administration announced to reopen it on Thursday. However, Pakistani authorities refused to reopen the border. “Last evening, we temporarily opened the border for Pakistanis who were stuck on the Afghan side,” the local official said. “Finally, we fully reopened the border for trade, transit, and pedestrian movement from both sides this morning,” he added. Last Sunday, Kabul unilaterally shut down the border crossing. The closure followed an exchange of fire between the two border forces on Monday. Clashes between the two border troops have long been taking place, and there is no lull even after the Taliban retakes Afghanistan in August 2021.