ISLAMABAD: The Pakistani prime minister's special representative for Afghanistan, Mohammad Sadiq, said on Tuesday the nation would soon give “good news” to Afghanistan regarding the reopening of a pedestrian crossing on the Torkham border.
Pakistan shut all its land borders in March to try to halt the spread of the coronavirus, which causes the disease COVID-19. Highways from the Afghan capital Kabul and the Pakistani capital Islamabad pass through Torkham, the main trade link between the uneasy neighbors.
“Torkham border opening for pedestrians is awaited by our Afghan friends. Will soon give them good news,” Sadiq said in a tweet. “After relaxing COVID-19 SOPs [standard operating procedures], we have already opened Chaman and thousands of pedestrians are crossing daily including some 60,000 on first day: such is the bond between us.”
In recent weeks, Pakistan has taken steps to enhance bilateral trade with Afghanistan and to facilitate the neighbor's transit trade.
In July this year all main border crossings — at Chaman in Balochistan, and Torkham, Ghulam Khan, Angoor Adda and Kharlachi in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa — were reopened. Afghan overland exports to India through Pakistan's Wagah border were allowed to resume on July 15.
The measures are a part of efforts by the Pakistan government to reopen the economy, largely closed down in March over coronavirus fears.
As of Tuesday, only 300 new infections were reported in the country in 24 hours.
The total number of cases currently stands at 296,149, with 6,298 deaths.
