Torkham Border Temporarily Reopens for Stranded Afghan Migrants
The Torkham border crossing was temporarily reopened on Saturday, marking a brief relief for Afghan migrants stranded in their return journey from Pakistan, after days of closures and uncertainty.
According to Mawlawi Sardar Ahmad Shakib, the Taliban’s representative in Islamabad, the move follows his discussions with officials from Pakistan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs. He stated that Pakistani authorities had pledged to allow passage through Torkham for those Afghan migrants who had become stuck during their return.
Thousands of Afghan migrants faced confusion and harsh conditions at the Torkham crossing after Pakistan issued a deadline for undocumented refugees to leave the country. The resulting humanitarian crisis drew widespread condemnation from migrant rights organizations.
While the Taliban administration announced efforts to reopen Torkham, it has faced significant criticism over its inability to effectively support returning migrants. The lack of a coordinated structure to manage the mass return has raised questions about the Taliban’s preparedness to handle major humanitarian crises.
