Pak, Afghan forces trade fire at Torkham

LANDIKOTAL: The Pak-Afghan Torkham border remained closed on the 11th consecutive day on Monday amid intense clashes between Pakistani and Afghan security forces, forcing residents to flee their homes from nearby localities on both sides of the border.

According to sources, three personnel were injured in cross-border firing at around 2am. A stampede triggered by panic led to the death of a taxi driver due to a heart attack when heavy gunfire erupted. Hospital officials confirmed the fatality.

Witnesses reported that both sides used heavy weapons to target each other’s positions. Huge blasts were heard far and wide for hours. Several trucks parked at the Torkham border parking lots and houses in Bacha Mena border village sustained damage in the firing, worsening financial losses for traders already struggling with the prolonged closure of the border.

Meanwhile, residents of Bacha Mena village on the Pakistan side of the border were forced to vacate their homes due to fear of continuous firing.

Efforts to defuse the crisis through talks failed, leaving the situation tense with no clear resolution in sight. Hundreds of trucks loaded with fresh fruit and vegetables suffered millions of rupees in losses as all consignments mostly perished while waiting at the border for around two weeks.

Officials and traders said that Torkham was the busiest trade route, facilitating over $1.6 million in imports and $1.4 million in exports daily with Afghanistan and Central Asian Republics. Immigration officials noted that approximately 10,000 passengers crossed the Torkham border daily.

Customs Association Torkham President Mujeeb Khan Shinwari urged both countries to resolve the issue through dialogue. He stressed that uninterrupted trade with Afghanistan via Torkham could play a vital role in boosting the national economy.

Thousands of stranded passengers, including women and children, expressed disappointment over the armed clashes between border forces. Many emphasized that people on both sides of the border shared family ties, religion and culture.

The prolonged border closure has impacted the livelihoods of local labourers and transporters, who rely on daily cross-border trade for income. Many truck drivers, unable to complete their deliveries, have run out of food and fuel.

Additionally, medical emergencies have become a growing concern, as patients who regularly travel to Peshawar for treatment remain stuck on the Afghan side. Several Afghan citizens, including critically ill individuals, have pleaded with authorities to allow medical crossings but no exemptions have been granted yet. It may be added here that the Torkham border crossing was closed on February 21 when Afghan authorities started construction near Zero Point on the Afghan side of the border.