ISLAMABAD, Jan 30 (NNN-APP) – Pakistan “temporarily” closed Torkham, one of its major border crossings with Afghanistan, over “security concerns,” officials said.
Aisha Farooqui, spokesperson of Pakistan Foreign Ministry, said, the decision was taken hours after two mortars, fired from Afghanistan, landed on the Pakistani side of the border on Wednesday morning.
She said, there was no casualty in the incident at Torkham, the busiest crossing between the two countries in the northwestern Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province.
“We have taken up the issue with the Afghan side and are in contact with Afghan officials. The border is expected to reopen soon,” Farooqui said.
A large number of vehicles and people are stranded on both sides of the border, Rahat Shinwari, a journalist in the area, said.
“The border is still closed today,” Shinwari said.
There was no report as to who were involved in the incident. Pakistani security officials routinely accuse militants of carrying out cross-border attacks.
Afghan officials in eastern Nangarhar province also confirmed the closure of the border.
Spokesperson for Nangarhar, Attaullah Khogyani, said, talks were underway between officials of the two countries, for the reopening of the border.
In Sept last year, Pakistan said, Torkham would remain open round-the-clock, to facilitate bilateral and transit trade activities.
Pakistan and Afghanistan have nearly 2,600-km border. The Pakistani army is fencing the border, to curb illegal cross-border movement.
Pakistani officials said, the Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan and other militants, fled to Afghanistan, as a result of major government military operations, in the tribal regions, over the past several years.– NNN-APP
