ISLAMABAD: Pakistan has opened sealed Pak-Afghan border crossings for two days in order to facilitate nationals of both the countries.
“In order to provide an opportunity to those nationals of Afghanistan who had come to Pakistan on valid visas and wish to return to their country, the Government of Pakistan has decided to open the border crossings at Torkham and Chaman on March 7 and 8,” the Foreign Office said in a statement on Monday.
The crossing points, the Foreign Office added, will also be opened for those Pakistani nationals who went to Afghanistan on valid visas and wish to return to Pakistan.
The announcement came following numerous requests by the Afghan authorities to reopen the border saying it was creating a humanitarian crisis. The crossing points were sealed after a series of bomb blasts and suicide attacks rocked the country killing over 100 people last month. Pakistan said Afghanistan based militants were involved in carrying out the attacks.
The people stranded for more than two weeks are now passing through the Chaman border on Tuesday after Pakistan reopened the two crossings with Afghanistan for two days. – Photo by Noor Zaman
On Saturday, Afghan Ambassador Omar Zakhilwal had said that his country might send in chartered flights to airlift stranded Afghans in case the border is not reopened soon and that Pakistan does not have a justification for the continued closure of crossing points on the Pak-Afghan border.
The decision was conveyed by Adviser to Prime Minister on Foreign Affairs Sartaj Aziz to the Afghan ambassador by telephone. All concerned at the two crossing points have also been informed.
A Customs official posted at Torkham border told The News that the entry and exit of passengers is only allowed for two days and this opening up of border was not meant for goods related to exports or imports.
“We have only allowed patients to cross borders on the basis of valid documents,” he added.
Thousands of trucks are stuck up on both sides as 600 containers having transit goods were cleared from Karachi port but stranded on its way to Torkham as this border was closed down in the aftermath of terrorist attacks in different parts of Pakistan in recent weeks.
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