ISLAMABAD: The Pakistan-Afghanistan border at the Chaman crossing in Balochistan has been partially reopened, according to local sources told Geo News on Monday, a day after the two neighbouring countries agreed to a ceasefire.
Pedestrians have not yet been allowed to cross the border, according to local sources. Empty Afghan transit trade vehicles and trucks have been permitted to enter Pakistan from the Afghan side, according to local sources.
Afghan migrants being sent back from Pakistan have also been allowed to cross the border, they said. Chaman Traders Association President Muhammad Sadiq told Geo News the permission has been granted temporarily.
Moreover Torkham border crossing in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa is likely to reopen within 24 to 36 hours. Pakistan closed the Torkham and Chaman borders with Afghanistan on October 12 after the Afghan Taliban, in association with their affiliated militants, attacked multiple Pakistan Armed Forces posts along the border.
The sources privy to the matter said that officials from both countries have agreed to reopen the border if no other dispute arises. The border clashes between forces from the two countries began on the night between October 11 and 12 after the Afghan Taliban and militants launched unprovoked attacks against Pakistan’s border posts.
The resulting clashes led to the killing of over 200 Taliban and affiliated militants, while 23 Pakistani soldiers were martyred defending the motherland, the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) said.
Pakistan also conducted “precision strikes” deep inside Afghanistan, targeting terrorists in Kandahar province and Kabul. A temporary 48-hour ceasefire was announced on October 15 at Afghanistan’s request.
The temporary ceasefire was extended for another 48 hours on October 17 as delegations from the two countries headed to Doha, Qatar, for further negotiations. Pakistan and Afghanistan agreed to an immediate ceasefire during the Qatar-mediated talks on Sunday.
Defence Minister Khawaja Asif announced the deal for a ceasefire, with both sides scheduled to meet again on October 25 in Istanbul, Turkiye, to discuss “detailed matters”. Taliban spokesperson Zabihullah Mujahid also confirmed the development, saying that the parties agreed on a complete and meaningful ceasefire.
Meanwhile, preparations have begun to reopen the Pak-Afghan Torkham crossing for trade, while Customs officials have ordered staff to immediately report to the Torkham terminal. Customs sources said that the scanner for the clearance of cargo vehicles has been delivered to the Torkham terminal. Due to tensions at the border, the scanner was removed from the terminal on the night between October 11 and 12.
Afghan security sources said that hundreds of passengers have also arrived at the Torkham border on the Afghan side, and they have also been informed that the border is being opened. Meanwhile, Defence Minister Khawaja Asif has stated that the primary objective of the agreement between Pakistan and Afghanistan is to eliminate the issue of terrorism. Another meeting will be held next week in Istanbul to finalise the details of the agreement, and it is hoped that peace will now be restored, and relations between Pakistan and Afghanistan will return to normal. He expressed these views during an interview with the Qatari broadcasting network Al Jazeera regarding the ceasefire agreement between Pakistan and Afghanistan.
He expressed gratitude to the Emir of Qatar, Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdo an, and the head of the Turkish delegation, Ibrahim Kal n. The defence minister stated that terrorism has been affecting the border regions of Pakistan and Afghanistan for years, and last week, the issue of terrorism escalated into direct clashes between the two countries. Both nations have concluded that the immediate elimination of terrorism is essential. The two countries will make serious efforts to control terrorism; otherwise, regional peace could face serious threats.
Khawaja Asif stated that the Afghan defence minister acknowledged that terrorism is the root cause of tension in our relations, which will now be brought under control. An effective mechanism will be established to resolve the existing issues between the two countries. The presence of Qatar and Turkey itself serves as a guarantee for this agreement.
He added that we have suffered significant human and financial losses in recent years. It is hoped that peace will now be restored, and relations between Pakistan and Afghanistan will return to normal. As a result, Pak-Afghan trade and transit will also resume, and Afghanistan will be able to use Pakistani ports.
The defence minister stated that Afghan refugees with legal visas and documents will be allowed to stay in Pakistan. However, a large number of Afghan refugees do not have any documents, so their repatriation will continue. The use of the Pak-Afghan border should also be formalised, as is the case in other countries around the world.
He mentioned that it is premature to say that all concerns have been completely alleviated, as they are not 100 percent assured. They will need to observe in the coming weeks and months how much the agreement is implemented. Pakistan and Afghanistan have been neighbours for centuries, and geography cannot be changed. He expressed hope that after this agreement, the two countries will be able to move forward with good relations. The presence of brotherly countries Qatar and Turkey has given them confidence, and they are grateful for it.
He, however said that the ceasefire agreement was linked to the Afghan Taliban’s ability to rein in terrorists attacking Pakistan from neighbouring soil. “Anything coming from Afghanistan will be [a] violation of this agreement,” Asif said. “Everything hinges on this one clause.”
In a separate interview to Arab News, Khawaja Asif ruled out the notion that Pakistan had conducted the airstrikes in Kabul on the urging of the United States, saying: “It is total nonsense and nothing else.”
He questioned why Pakistan would do so, saying the country had had enough of its involvement in Afghanistan for the past few decades. “We want to stay away and live like decent neighbours. We don’t want to have any involvement in Afghan affairs,” Asif said, adding that Pakistan had “no business” in Afghanistan’s relationship with India or any other country.
“Absolutely not. Whatever they want to do in their own territory and doesn’t spill over to our territory, doesn’t become our business.” Separately, talking in Geo News show ‘Aaj Shahzeb Khanzada Kay Sath’, Khawaja Asif said there was no bitterness in the environment of the Pak-Afghan negotiations. If the agreement is violated, both brotherly countries [Qatar and Turkiye] will be asked (to play their role). Discussions, scrutiny, and amendments continued through our friends from Turkiye and Qatar. A brief agreement, consisting of four paragraphs on one page, has been reached.
“[We hope] the Afghan Taliban will not say tomorrow that people from a certain city are not complying. Terrorists on Afghan soil live blended within the civilian population. There is evidence that terrorists receive orders from within Afghanistan. It is possible that the negotiations in Turkiye may continue from the 25th to the 27th of October.
“We have not negotiated with the outlawed TTP; we have spoken with the Afghan Taliban. The statement that came from Qatar has no relation to the draft or the one we signed. Their statement initially contained the word ‘border,’ then they said the word ‘border’ is controversial for us and it affects the mediator’s role; however, this has not impacted the agreement itself,” the defence minister added.
He further said: “I am hopeful but also cautious, and concrete statements can only be made once the situation improves. It would be premature to say anything more at this point. The procedure for the implementation of the agreement is yet to be established.”
Asif said that situation might arise where they [Afghan Taliban] claim that whatever happened originated from within Pakistan, whereas they are connected to every blast since the entire TTP leadership is based there. All these matters will be discussed in the upcoming negotiations in Istanbul. Qatar and Turkey have influence over Afghanistan, especially Qatar, he said, adding Pakistan will never talk with the TTP.