Pakistan, Afghanistan agree to ‘reopen border’ within 48 hours

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The border between Pakistan and Afghanistan is expected to reopen within 24 to 48 hours following an agreement between officials of the two countries, sources told Geo News on Monday.

The development comes a day after the two neighbors agreed to a ceasefire following weeks of border clashes.

Officials have agreed to reopen the border if no other conflicts arise, the sources said.

On October 12, Pakistan closed the Turkham and Chaman borders with Afghanistan along with its affiliated militants, the Afghan Taliban, attacking several Pakistan Armed Forces positions along the border.

The border clashes between the two countries’ forces began between October 11 and 12 after the Afghan Taliban and militants launched unprovoked attacks against Pakistan’s border posts.

The ensuing clashes resulted in the killing of more than 200 Taliban and allied militants, while 23 Pakistani soldiers were martyred while defending the motherland.

Pakistan also carried out “health strikes” deep inside Afghanistan, targeting terrorists in Kandahar province and Kabul. A 48-hour temporary ceasefire was announced on October 15 at the request of Afghanistan.

The temporary ceasefire was extended for another 48 hours on October 17 with delegations from both countries to Doha, Qatar for further talks.

Pakistan and Afghanistan agreed to an immediate ceasefire during Qatar-mediated talks on Sunday.

Defense Minister Khawaja Mohammad Asaf announced the ceasefire agreement, with the two sides meeting again in Istanbul, Turkey on October 25 to discuss “detailed issues”.

Taliban spokesperson Zabiullah Mujahid has also confirmed this development and said that the parties have agreed on a complete and meaningful ceasefire.

‘Main cause of terrorism behind tension’

During an interview with Al Jazeera Arabic, Asif said that the defense minister admitted that terrorism was the key reason behind the tension between the two countries.

The main objective of the ceasefire is to end terrorism, he said, adding that both countries concluded that an immediate end to terrorism was necessary.

Asif maintained that terrorism has been affecting the border areas of Pakistan and Afghanistan for years.

The defense minister said the two neighbors would make “serious efforts to stop terrorism” after the ceasefire.

Failure to do so could seriously threaten regional peace, he added.

Asif expressed hope that peace would return to the region after the ceasefire and normalization of relations between Pakistan and Afghanistan.

He said that as a result of this normalization, trade and transit will also be restored and Afghanistan will be able to use Pakistani ports.

‘People can breathe’

Meanwhile, frontier residents are hoping the ceasefire agreement will end the clashes and restore vital cross-border trade.

While the crossing remains closed, life has regained a semblance of normality, with bakers wheeling their carts selling bread, fruit and vegetables, and consumer shops with frequent customers.

“People can breathe and feel relief,” said Sadiq Shah, 56, from Buzai on the Pakistani side.

The ceasefire agreement has brought relief to many people along the border.

“This is unbelievable: both sides are Muslims, (ethnic) Pashtuns, so why fight?” Shah said.

“Before, trade with Afghanistan passed through here, and now we’re shooting at each other. Which country is that?”

According to a senior Pakistani customs official in nearby Peshawar, more than 1,500 trucks, trailers and containers carrying cement, medicines, rice and other basic goods are waiting in Tarkham.

Abdul Rahman Habib, spokesman for the Taliban’s Ministry of Economy, said fruits and vegetables are rotting while they await export to Pakistan.

“Traders are losing money,” he said, without estimating the losses.

Habib warned that if this situation persists, “it could increase prices and unemployment, and destabilize markets”.

“Trade relations should be separated from political matters,” he told AFP.