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Coronavirus; Afghanistan-Pakistan border closed
The Pakistan-Afghanistan border at Torkham has been closed for 15 days from today, aimed to prevent the spread of coronavirus, the News reported.
According to the report, Pakistan issued a notification, urging the Afghan and Pakistani citizens to cross the Torkham border before it was closed for all kinds of movement.
Around 50,000 Afghan citizens, including women, children and truckers reached the Torkham border to enter Afghanistan. The Afghan side of the Torkham border was also over-crowded with Pakistani nationals who wanted to enter Pakistan.
Meanwhile, the import and export between the countries would remain suspended during the two weeks of the border closure.
The officials, however, said emergency patients coming from Afghanistan could enter Pakistan. The Pakistani authorities set up quarantine centers at Torkham border town and in Landikotal, the report said.
Pakistan asked its citizens to remain at homes and avoid movement, the report added.
Earlier this month, Uzbekistan closed its border – Afghanistan–Uzbekistan Friendship Bridge – with Afghanistan amid fears of coronavirus spreading to the country.
Zalmay Khalilzad, the former US special representative for Afghanistan, has questioned Pakistan’s commitment to the welfare of the Afghan people, citing Islamabad’s policies over the past three decades.
Khalilzad said in a post on X that Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif advocated for the rights of Afghan women during his speech at the UN General Assembly on Friday.
Sharif said: “Fundamental rights of the Afghan people — especially women and girls — must be respected.”
Responding to the remarks, Khalilzad said Pakistan’s policies over the past 30 years raise questions about Sharif’s commitment to Afghan welfare.
He cited Pakistan’s support for militant groups against US forces and what he described as the poor treatment of Afghan refugees as examples.
Khalilzad also said Afghanistan and Pakistan need and should have much better relations, adding that “a reset is necessary.”
India’s Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri met with the UN Secretary-General’s Special Representative for Afghanistan, Rabab Fatima, on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly.
Indian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said in a post on X that Misri underscored the need to keep addressing the humanitarian needs of the Afghan people as a priority.
Misri also appreciated the role of the UN Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) and reaffirmed India’s continued cooperation with the United Nations on Afghanistan.
The meeting comes as Afghanistan continues to face humanitarian and economic challenges, with international agencies warning of significant needs among the Afghan population.
Kazakhstan’s Foreign Minister Mukhtar Tileuberdi has called for pragmatic and coordinated international engagement with Afghanistan, saying the country’s long-term stability is closely linked to the security and sustainable development of Central Asia.
Speaking during the general debate of the 81st session of the United Nations General Assembly in New York on Friday, Tileuberdi said humanitarian assistance to Afghanistan remains essential but alone cannot break the cycle of poverty, displacement and dependency.
He said Kazakhstan supports a “pragmatic, coordinated and step-by-step” approach to international engagement with Afghanistan, with the United Nations playing a central role.
Tileuberdi also said Kazakhstan is working with the UN to operationalize the United Nations Regional Centre for the Sustainable Development Goals for Central Asia and Afghanistan in Almaty.
He said the success of the centre should be measured by the results and assistance it delivers to the region.
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