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Torkham Border Reopens for Afghan Refugee Repatriation After Weeks-Long Closure
Pakistan reopens the Torkham border for Afghan refugees after weeks of closure due to clashes.Thousands stranded on roads can now return home. Trade, however, remains suspended.
MH
by Muhammad Hashir
2025-11-01
Torkham Border Reopens for Afghan Refugee Repatriation After Weeks-Long Closure

The Torkham border crossing between Pakistan and Afghanistan was reopened on Saturday for Afghan refugees returning to their homeland, officials from both sides confirmed.

Khyber Deputy Commissioner Bilal Rao told Dawn that the border crossing was reopened earlier in the day to resume the repatriation of Afghan refugees who had been stranded for weeks. The development was also confirmed by Khizer Shah, spokesperson for the Pakistani embassy in Kabul, and Afghan authorities.

“Torkham gate is now open for refugees. We welcome our countrymen,” said Qureshi Badloon, head of the Information and Culture Department in Afghanistan’s Nangarhar province.

The repatriation process had been suspended on October 11 following border clashes between Pakistan and Afghanistan that lasted several days. A ceasefire agreement was later reached in Doha on October 19, but border crossings remained sealed until now.

Thousands Stranded Amid Closure

During the closure, thousands of Afghan refugees were left stranded on roads between Nowshera and Torkham, with limited access to basic necessities such as food, water, and shelter.

Afghan Consul General Hafiz Mohibullah Shakir told Dawn that many of those stranded were registered refugees holding Proof of Registration (PoR) cards. He appealed for humanitarian assistance, saying: “There are hundreds of vehicles, carrying thousands of refugees, stranded on roads from Nowshera till Torkham.”

He criticised the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) for its lack of support and urged immediate provision of food and shelter for the displaced families.

Trade Still Suspended

While the crossing has been reopened for refugee movement, trade between Pakistan and Afghanistan remains suspended, causing shortages and rising prices of essential goods, particularly vegetables such as tomatoes.

Foreign Office Spokesperson Tahir Andrabi said that although the ceasefire was extended, “the border remains closed for trade for now” and that the resumption of commercial activity would depend on the evolving security situation.

Officials said relevant border staff had been directed to report for duty on Saturday morning, though it remained unclear whether Pakistani nationals stranded in Afghanistan would be allowed to return.

Government Stance on Refugees

Following the recent tensions, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif reiterated that no further extension would be granted to Afghan refugees residing in Pakistan. The government has ordered the closure of all refugee camps and warned that harbouring illegal Afghan residents would be treated as a serious offence.

According to official data, as of October 16, a total of 1,477,592 Afghan nationals had been repatriated since the government’s deportation drive began.

The reopening of the Torkham crossing marks a significant step toward easing the humanitarian crisis on both sides of the border, though the situation remains tense amid security and trade concerns.
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