Pakistan and Afghanistan have reached an agreement on a permanent ceasefire and the full reopening of the Torkham trade crossing for all types of movement.
Significant progress was made during the Pakistan-Afghanistan jirga negotiations regarding border tensions at the Khyber-Torkham crossing. Pakistani jirga member Jawad Hussain confirmed the agreement, stating that both sides have committed to reopening the trade route and ensuring stability.
Hussain further revealed that the joint jirga has agreed to temporarily halt disputed construction by Afghan forces, with the Afghan jirga requesting time until this evening to implement the decision.
He added that the Afghan delegation will consult their authorities on stopping the construction, and the issue has been postponed until the next Joint Chamber of Commerce (JCC) meeting. Until then, the trade route will remain open, and a mutually agreed date for the next meeting will be set.
Additionally, a meeting between Pakistan’s Frontier Corps (FC) officials and Afghan authorities is scheduled for today, which may lead to the formal reopening of the Torkham trade crossing.
The border tensions escalated on February 21 when Afghan forces attempted construction within Pakistani territory, leading to the closure of the Torkham crossing for all types of movement.
