Afghan govt requests Pakistan to relax Torkham border crossing in Ramazan

LANDIKOTAL: The Afghan government has made a formal request to Pakistan to extend the border restriction deadline so that Afghan nationals could travel to and from Pakistan during Ramazan and Eidul Fitr.

The request was made by an Afghan delegation led by Colonel Nisar Khan, who met the Pakistani border officials here on Monday. The meeting lasted for two hours in Torkham town in Pakistan.

An official, who wished anonymity, said that Pakistan Army’s Major Taufeeq, Assistant Political Agent of Landikotal Rahimullah Mehsud and passport officer at Torkham Ghuncha Gul represented Pakistan in the meeting.

He said that besides several other issues, cross-border security and intelligence sharing was also discussed at the meeting. He disclosed that the Afghan delegation formally requested the Pakistani authorities to relax the restrictions at the Torkham border for Afghan citizens during the holy month of Ramazan and on Eid days.

It was learnt that Pakistani officials told the Afghan border authorities that the two countries should work on improving bilateral cooperation and take steps to minimise security risks on both sides of the border.

Sources said that Colonel Nisar told the Pakistani officials that it would be difficult for people to shift their ailing family members in the harsh summer months during Ramazan if the border crossing wasn’t relaxed.

However, Pakistani officials told their counterparts that they would inform Afghan authorities after Islamabad takes the final decision about it.The Pakistan government has set a deadline that no Afghan citizen will be allowed to cross the Torkham border without passport and visa after May 31.