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IEA meets with Pakistani officials to discuss Torkham border issue
Pakistan and Islamic Emirate officials met Sunday at Torkham crossing to discuss the border crisis which has rendered the crossing closed for six days.
Pakistan’s The News reported Monday, citing official sources, that the meeting started at midday on Sunday and lasted for two hours.
The Afghan delegation at the meeting was reportedly headed by the Islamic Emirate’s customs chief Hafiz Asmatullah Yaqoobi, and Qari Meraj and Moulvi Takal.
Pakistan, on the other hand, was represented by the Commandant of Khyber Rifles Colonel Asim Kiyani and other officials.
Sources told The News that both sides agreed to help resolve disputes through negotiations and talks.
The IEA said Pakistani forces opened fire on Afghan border guards while they were building a new outpost and working on old security posts on Afghanistan territory.
The IEA delegation reportedly assured Pakistani officials that the new post being constructed would not be used against Pakistan, one source said.
The Pakistani side told the Afghan officials they could renovate the old security posts but the international law did not allow construction of new security posts within 100 meters of the international border.
The Pakistani officials told the Afghan officials they should have informed Pakistan of their plans to build a new security post prior to the construction of new security posts close to the Zero Point.
The Afghan officials requested the Pakistani authorities reopen the Torkham crossing and allow stranded trucks through.
The crossing was closed on Wednesday to all traffic. Hundreds of trucks are now stranded at the crossing, many of which are carrying fresh fruits and vegetables.
Rana Sanaullah, Pakistan Prime Minister’s Special Assistant on Political Affairs, says Islamabad does not seek to impose war on Afghanistan or occupy any part of its territory.
Speaking at a press conference on Saturday, he stated that Pakistan’s primary expectation is for Afghanistan to prevent militant groups from using its soil to launch attacks against Pakistan. He warned that failure to address this concern could lead to the continuation of Pakistani operations targeting such groups.
Pakistani officials have long maintained that militant attacks in Pakistan are planned from Afghan territory. However, the Islamic Emirate has rejected the claim, insisting that Afghanistan is not responsible for what it describes as Pakistan’s “security failures.”
Afghanistan has once again been ranked the least happy country in the world, according to the latest edition of the World Happiness Report.
The report, which measures people’s overall life satisfaction across 147 countries, placed Afghanistan at the bottom of the global ranking for another year, with a score 1.4 out of 10. Researchers assess factors such as income levels, social support, freedom to make life choices, perceptions of corruption, and overall quality of life.
For the ninth consecutive year, Finland ranked as the world’s happiest country, with a score of 7.7. Iceland and Denmark followed it, as Nordic nations continued to dominate the top of the index.
A notable development came from Costa Rica, which climbed to fourth place — the highest ranking ever recorded for a Latin American country.
Other countries with low rankings included Sierra Leone, Malawi, Zimbabwe and Botswana.
Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim has welcomed the temporary ceasefire between Pakistan and Afghanistan announced in connection with the Eid-ul-Fitr celebrations, calling for continued efforts to reduce tensions and achieve lasting peace.
Anwar shared the message during a telephone conversation with his Pakistani counterpart, Shehbaz Sharif. In a Facebook post, Anwar emphasized the importance of dialogue and de-escalation, while also expressing concern over rising tensions in the Middle East, particularly involving Iran, and urging all parties to prioritize peaceful solutions.
Pakistan said it had temporarily suspended military operations in Afghanistan at the request of Saudi Arabia, Qatar, and Turkey. Afghan authorities likewise announced a halt to operations during Eid, citing goodwill and similar requests from regional partners.
The ceasefire follows weeks of heightened tensions between Afghanistan and Pakistan, including Durand Line clashes and airstrikes.
Separately, Turkey President Recep Tayyip Erdogan in a phone call discussed regional developments with Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, reaffirming Turkey’s commitment to peace and stability and stressing continued cooperation for long-term security.
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