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Torkham border closure leaves Afghans stranded
Custom officials and clearing agents also stayed back while goods clearance was also halted on Saturday.
The Torkham border remained closed for a second day on Sunday, as Afghan border authorities continued work on the controversial security post close to the zero point.
Over 200 Afghan nationals, who had arrived at Torkham on Sunday morning with the hope of the border being reopened, returned to Peshawar after they were stopped from going through immigration.
Custom officials and clearing agents also stayed back while goods clearance was also halted on Saturday.
Pakistan’s Dawn News reported that several vehicles loaded with edibles and perishable items were sent back to Landi Kotal and Peshawar, after the abrupt closure of border late on Friday night.
Officials at the border said no direct talks were held between the border security officials of the two countries, explaining that Kabul and Islamabad had taken upon themselves to resolve the issue at a higher level, Dawn News reported.
Sources in the border area expressed apprehensions that despite Pakistan’s maximum restraint to keep tempers low, the highhandedness being shown by the Afghan authorities could turn the controversial development into an armed conflict between the neighbouring countries.
The sources disclosed that security forces on the Pakistani side of the Torkham border directed all stranded vehicles from the zero point towards the under-construction custom terminal for safety.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan announced on Tuesday the release of American citizen Dennis Coyle from prison.
According to the ministry, Coyle’s mother had written to the leader of the Islamic Emirate demanding amnesty and the release of her son on the occasion of Eid. The Supreme Court considered time served sufficient and decided to release him.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs stated that this action was carried out on the basis of humanitarianism and good faith, and it believes that such measures can strengthen trust between countries. The ministry also expressed hope that both countries, in the future, can find solutions to remaining issues through mutual understanding and constructive dialogue.
The Islamic Emirate also expressed appreciation for the cooperation of the United Arab Emirates in this matter.
Separately, for Coyle’s release, an American delegation, including Zalmay Khalilzad, former U.S. Special Representative for Afghanistan, met on Tuesday with Amir Khan Muttaqi, the Foreign Minister of the Islamic Emirate.
The meeting was also attended by Saif Mohammed Al-Ketbi, Ambassador of the UAE in Kabul, and a member of the prisoner’s family.
According to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Muttaqi stated that the Islamic Emirate has not detained any citizen of any country to achieve political objectives; rather, detentions were the result of legal violations, and individuals were released after completing judicial procedures.
At the meeting, Khalilzad praised the action of the Islamic Emirate and emphasized the importance of continuing discussions on all issues between the two countries, expressing hope for further progress in the future.
Muttaqi also stressed that Kabul and the UAE should provide standard consular services to their citizens, and that the Afghan government is fully prepared in this regard.
He thanked Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, President of the UAE, for their constructive role in facilitating the release of the prisoner and referred to the UAE as a close friend of Afghanistan.
Earlier, Muttaqi had also praised the role of the State of Qatar in facilitating information exchange between the Islamic Emirate and the prisoner’s family.
Additionally, the UAE ambassador expressed his country’s readiness to play a role in humanitarian institutions and called such developments beneficial for everyone.
The United Kingdom has announced an additional £3 million (AFN 257 million) in humanitarian assistance to Afghanistan, aimed at supporting people affected by natural disasters and other shocks.
Richard Lindsay, in a post on X, said the funding will be used to provide essential nutrition supplies and related support to vulnerable populations.
The new allocation brings the UK’s total bilateral assistance to Afghanistan for the current financial year to £154 million (AFN 13.18 billion).
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