ISLAMABAD/KHYBER AGENCY - After two days of suspension, the Torkham Border was reopened on Saturday for all kinds of movement, following assurance from Afghan officials that action will be taken against those who tortured Pakistani nationals.
The border was sealed by Pakistan after repeated incidents of torture on Pakistan nationals returning from Afghanistan by Afghan security officials. In the latest such incident, two Pakistani drivers were beaten at Pol-e-Charkhi post No1 in Afghanistan by the Afghan troops.
Providing the details, Wing Commander Colonel Mushtaq said that dialog between Pakistan and Afghanistan officials continued since Friday and Afghan officials not only assured that the culprits would be punished but also that no such incident would recur in future.
Apart from talks between border officials, Afghan Ambassador to Pakistan Mohammad Umar Daudzai on Saturday called on Foreign Ministry Special Secretary Alamgir Babar in Islamabad and promised that torture of Pakistani nationals would be investigated and action would be taken against those responsible. He also assured that that such incidents would not recur.
Based on the assurances given by the ambassador‚ Pakistan side agreed to reopen the border and the interior ministry issued instructions in this regard. The Afghan ambassador also raised the issue of beating up of Afghans nationals in Landi Kotal by unidentified armed men. The 29 attacked Afghans were rescued by the Pakistani security forces.
Colonel Mushtaq said that on the directions of the high ups, entry of Nato supply and other transit commodities vehicles to Afghanistan was restored; however, the entry into Pakistan has been restricted. The Afghan citizens having legal travelling documents or refugee card will be permitted to cross into Pakistan, he said.
Prior to it, the border remained closed till 4:30pm on Saturday and thousands of people on both side of the border kept waiting for the opening of the border. Extra security personnel had been deployed on the both sides of the border, sources said.
According to Customs Additional Collector Saeed Jadoon, the two day closure affected customs tax recovery of 7 million dollars to Afghanistan and 20 million rupees to Pakistan.