Main Afghanistan-Pakistan border crossing reopens after nine-day closure

PESHAWAR: The main Afghanistan-Pakistan land border crossing reopened on Friday after a nine-day closure, a senior Pakistani official told Reuters.

The Torkham border crossing between the neighbouring nations had been closed since last week after forces from both sides exchanged fire, stranding thousands of travellers and hundreds of trucks laden with goods.

The Afghan Taliban had criticised the closure of its main border crossing with Pakistan, saying the halt in trade would see heavy losses for businesses.

Afghanistan and Pakistan have had frosty relations since the Taliban returned to power in Kabul two years ago, with Islamabad accusing its neighbour of harbouring militants carrying out strikes on its soil.

The crossing at Torkham is a key trading waypoint, where Afghanistan exports truckloads of coal and receives food and other supplies from Pakistan.

Both nations are in dire economic straits, with Afghanistan reeling from a drop-off in aid following the end of the US-backed occupation and Pakistan crippled by a domestic downturn and runaway inflation.