Pakistan and Afghanistan have agreed to a ceasefire and the reopening of the Torkham trade route for all forms of movement, following a joint jirga held on Monday to address ongoing border tensions at the Khyber-Torkham crossing.
The agreement was announced during the Pak-Afghan jirga, which was convened to resolve disputes that had led to the closure of the vital border crossing. Jawad Hussain, a member of the Pakistani jirga, informed Geo News that both sides had committed to ending hostilities and restoring trade and travel activities at Torkham.
As part of the agreement, the joint jirga decided to temporarily halt disputed construction work initiated by Afghan forces. The Afghan delegation requested additional time until the evening to consult with their authorities on this matter. Hussain explained that the Afghan jirga would present the proposal to their officials, and the issue of construction would be deferred until the next meeting of the Joint Chamber of Commerce.
The final decision regarding the disputed construction will be made during the upcoming session, while trade and movement at the border crossing will resume in the interim. The date for the next meeting will be determined through mutual consultation between the two sides.
In addition, officials from Pakistanβs Frontier Corps (FC) and Afghan authorities are scheduled to meet today to discuss further details. The reopening of the Torkham trade route is anticipated following these discussions.
The border crossing had been closed since February 21 after tensions flared when Afghan forces began construction activities within Pakistani territory, leading to a standoff between the two nations. The recent agreement marks a significant step toward easing tensions and restoring normalcy at the key trade and transit point.
