Pakistan Partially Reopens Torkham Border to Allow Stranded Afghan Refugees to Return Home

Pakistan on Saturday partially reopened the Torkham border crossing with Afghanistan, permitting thousands of stranded Afghan refugees to return home after nearly three weeks of closure, officials confirmed. The reopening comes amid a fragile ceasefire agreement between the two neighbours following weeks of deadly border clashes.

The Torkham crossing — a key gateway for people and trade between Pakistan and Afghanistan — was shut on October 12 after intense fighting erupted along the border. Both sides had claimed to have inflicted heavy casualties, with Pakistan reporting the loss of 23 soldiers and Afghan authorities alleging that dozens of civilians were killed in retaliatory strikes.

Following nearly a week of talks facilitated by Turkiye and Qatar, Pakistan and Afghanistan agreed to maintain a ceasefire on October 19. The negotiations later continued in Istanbul, where both sides reaffirmed their commitment to prevent further hostilities. Officials from both countries said there have been no new exchanges of fire since the truce took effect along the 2,611-kilometre (1,622-mile) Durand Line — a border Afghanistan has never formally recognized.

Partial Reopening for Refugees Only

Authorities said the crossing at Torkham was reopened exclusively for Afghan refugees on Saturday morning, allowing thousands to return to their homeland. Trade and other cross-border movement remain suspended until further notice.

Local officials in Afghanistan’s Nangarhar province told the Associated Press that thousands were expected to cross throughout the day. A video released by the province’s Information and Culture Department showed Afghan officials and soldiers welcoming returning refugees with flowers as they entered Afghanistan.

Thousands of Afghans had been stranded at the border since its closure, with many housed in temporary camps or waiting along the roadside. Afghan Ambassador to Pakistan Ahmad Shakeeb earlier said large numbers of his compatriots remained stuck due to the border shutdown — a statement that prompted Pakistan’s Foreign Ministry to accuse him of breaching diplomatic norms by airing grievances publicly on social media.

Tensions and Deportations

The reopening follows months of strained relations between Islamabad and Kabul. Since 2023, Pakistan has intensified efforts to deport undocumented immigrants, a campaign that has led to the repatriation of over one million Afghans.

Tensions escalated further in early October when Pakistan’s military claimed to have carried out airstrikes on Pakistani Taliban hideouts inside Afghanistan, killing dozens of insurgents. Afghan officials rejected the claim, accusing Pakistan of targeting civilians and responding with retaliatory attacks that killed dozens of Pakistani soldiers.

While the ceasefire and partial border reopening have eased immediate tensions, trade between the two countries remains halted, dealing a blow to regional commerce. Both sides are expected to hold further discussions in the coming weeks to finalize a broader agreement on border management and security cooperation.