Pakistan-Afghan border closure in Pakistan enters third day

The northern Torkham Border between Pakistan and Afghanistan remained closed for the third consecutive day after being triggered by security concerns due to a suicide attack. Hundreds of people including children and patients are waiting to cross the border from both sides after a suicide attack at the border's customs clearance office on Thursday left 26 people injured. According to security officials, security threats have intensified and as a result the Pak-Afghan border at Torkham has been closed for an indefinite period to all sort of movement. Torkham is regarded one of the major border crossings between the neighbouring countries, and is located on the Durand Line border connecting the Nangarhar province of Afghanistan with Pakistan's northern Federally Administered Tribal Areas (FATA) and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province. The border is the busiest port of entry between the two countries and serves as a major transporting, shipping, and receiving site. A political administration official, Amjid Khan said that Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf's (PTI) anti-drone protest in Peshawar and the Afghan Loya Jirga in Kabul could be possible reasons for the closure. Another official, Mairaj Khan in a press statement has said, "usually pedestrians are allowed to enter and exit, however, no one was being let through and even the 'small entrance' is sealed off." The border is usually open from 7:00am to 7:00pm (local time) and people can easily pass through after being cleared by law enforcement agencies. Authorities have however allowed patients requiring immediate medical assistance and those carrying their dead for burial to cross the border.