Torkham gate formally reopened

The Torkham gate at Pak-Afghan border formally reopened Tuesday for all kinds of movement following the announcement made by Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif. The border security official said the border was reopened at 7am and pedestrians as well as all the transport loaded with commodities on either side of the border started crossing it. Hundreds of pedestrians and trucks remained stranded on both sides before the PM's announcement.
As per custom superintendent Naeem Khan's statement, 40 stranded trailers crossed the border to Afghanistan while 30 trucks including ten of coal loaded crossed in, in terms of imports. He said that the stuck vehicles had parked in Peshawar and others parts of the country had not approached so far in Torkham to clear it.
Till filing the report 85 Afghan citizens crossed the border to Afghanistan and 3303 persons came into Pakistan on legal travelling documents among which 111 Pakistan nationals with original Identity Card holders were permitted to cross in Pakistan, administration official said.
According to security official Khasadar would be not permitted at the zero point and instead of them the Frontier Corp (FC) soldiers would hold responsibilities of all security measures at the border.
Chalking out entry and exit policy at the border, the official added that all Afghan nationals would be allowed to move to their native country; however they would be let to cross into Pakistan while having legal travelling documents.
Regarding Pakistani citizens the official maintained, that passport was made compulsory for Pakistanis to move either sides of the border although those Pakistani citizens who had already been in Afghanistan could cross in their country by showing ID cards at the border.
He added that till next order, Afghan students were restricted to attend their studies across the border in Pakistani schools, located in Bacha Maina area of Torkham.
Movement of hand pushcarts at the border would be limited to curtain smuggling of vegetables, fruits, oil, flour, automobiles and other commercials good at the crossing.
He further said that relaxation had granted to transport community on 01,November,2016 through that drivers had to pay Rs 2000 fined in case of lacking of passport and visa was revised and the transporters crossing into Pakistan without lawful documents would not be let to move into Pakistan and they would be sent back to Afghanistan. It is to be mentioned here that aftermath of militancy acts had carried out at Sehwan, Lahore, Peshawar and Mohmand Agency, the Torkham and Chaman borders were sealed by the Pak government for 32 days due to security reasons.