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Pakistan opens Torkham border to bring back stranded citizens

'Entrants are transferred to quarantine centres for precautionary measures,' says the DPO

By Web Desk
May 02, 2020
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The Pak-Afghan border at Torkham has been reopened in order to allow Pakistanis stranded in Afghanistan to return. The decision was taken on the orders of the interior ministry, the District Police Officer (DPO) said on Saturday.

The DPO said the Pakistanis returning from Afghanistan are being permitted to enter only after all relevant SOPs are followed.

“Entrants are transferred to quarantine centres for precautionary measures,” he stated.

Last month, Pakistan had opened its Torkham and Chaman border crossings for four days to allow Afghan nationals in the country to return home.

Islamabad had announced it would temporarily open border crossings at Kabul’s request on humanitarian grounds amid the coronavirus pandemic.

According to Worldometer, on Saturday, Afghanistan recorded 2,335 coronavirus cases and 68 deaths. Meanwhile, in Pakistan, the death toll stands at 417, with confirmed cases exceeding 18,000.