Afghan authorities on Wednesday closed the Torkham border crossing between the 2 international locations in an obvious protest towards a ‘Welcome to Pakistan’ signboard being put in on the crossing’s Zero Level.
As work crews have been putting in the signboard, Afghan authorities closed the worldwide border crossing to all car and pedestrian site visitors.
The crossing at Torkham is a key buying and selling waypoint, the place Afghanistan exports truckloads of coal and receives meals and different provides from Pakistan.
Equally in September, the border remained closed for 2 days after a gun battle erupted between Pakistan and Afghan border forces, with both sides blaming the opposite for beginning the firefight.
Learn: Torkham closure hurts commerce, folks
In latest weeks, Pakistan’s obvious shift in its coverage concerning the Afghan Taliban has additional created a tense surroundings. Islamabad earlier acknowledged that it’ll not lengthen any “particular privileges” to the interim Afghan Taliban authorities.
Pakistan’s coverage of appearing because the Afghan interim authorities’s spokesperson usually drew robust criticism each from inside and out of doors the nation. Nevertheless, officers at the moment defended the method, insisting that the Afghan Taliban have been a actuality and had no different possibility however to work with them.
Previously, Islamabad made efforts with different regional gamers to make sure that sanctions towards the Afghan Taliban authorities have been lifted and Kabul ought to have entry to the funds frozen by the US quickly after the autumn of Kabul in August 2021. Nevertheless, Pakistan’s goodwill gestures and help prolonged to the Afghan Taliban authorities after its return to energy in August 2021 have been taken as a right.
Additionally, Pakistan with a view to facilitate the Afghan interim authorities, gave many incentives to Afghanistan by way of commerce and different services. However now, the sources mentioned, Pakistan would not lengthen any particular favours to the Afghan Taliban authorities as they have been harbouring “our enemies”.
The connection between Pakistan and Afghanistan is already on the sting over the presence of TTP sanctuaries throughout the border.
The newest transfer by Pakistan to repatriate Afghans having no refugee standing or visa has additional compounded the bilateral relationship because the Taliban authorities just isn’t pleased with Islamabad and a number of other Pakistani leaders.