The Taliban government in Afghanistan has reopened a key border crossing with Pakistan after four days of closure that saw thousands of trucks carrying food and other items stranded at the frontier.
Pakistani authorities on Thursday said they will also open their side of the Torkham crossing after completing the “administrative requirements”.
“We are just completing the necessary documentation and other administrative work before reopening the gate, which is expected in another few hours,” a Pakistani security official posted at the crossing told Al Jazeera, requesting anonymity.
The decision to reopen the border crossing came a day after a high-level Pakistani delegation, led by Defence Minister Khawaja Asif, visited Kabul on Wednesday to discuss security and other matters.
The Pakistani delegation, which also comprised spy agency chief Lieutenant General Nadeem Anjum, met Afghanistan’s acting deputy prime minister for economic affairs, Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar, and other Taliban officials.
Hours later, the Afghan embassy in Islamabad tweeted that the Torkham trade route, closed since Sunday over a “breach of commitments” by Islamabad, will be reopened on Thursday morning.
Qari Nazim Gul, trader and leader of the All Pakistan Customs Agents Association, said thousands of trucks were stranded on the Pakistan side since Sunday night.
