The Torkham border crossing between Pakistan and Afghanistan, located in the Khyber district of Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa (KP), remained closed on Tuesday when Afghan authorities delayed the implementation of the reopening decision, which was agreed upon during a joint Jirga on Monday.

Syed Jawad Hussain Kazmi, the leader of the Pakistani delegation of the Jirga negotiations, said the Afghan Jirga had requested time to seek the final approval of the Afghan authorities. However, despite 20 hours passing, no final decision had been communicated.

“We are still waiting for the Afghan Jirga to contact us, which has caused a delay in the reopening of the Torkham border,” said Kazmi, who also serves as an adviser to the Federation of Pakistan Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FPCCI).

The border was closed on February 21, after the Afghan forces tried to construct a military checkpoint near Torkham. Pakistani Frontier Corps (FC) authorities opposed the construction because it was built on Pakistani territory.

The situation escalated on March 4, after conversations between the two sides to reopen the intersection failed, and Pakistani security forces and Afghan Taliban warriors exchanged fire in which an Afghan border guard was killed and two other injuries.

From day one, Kazmi said, his efforts were to end the excitement and find a peaceful solution to the question. Therefore, he added, he contacted the leaders of the Afghan Chamber of Commerce on March 6 and invited them to Torkham on March 9 for negotiations.

“In the first successful session, Joint Jirga accepted an immediate ceasefire and another session was scheduled for March 17.

“Yesterday Jirga agreed that there will be a truce until the 15th day of Eidul Fitr [mid-April]And both countries will not perform construction in the disputed areas, “Kazmi said, adding that the question of the controversial constructions would be taken up at the next meeting.

Kazmi said the Afghan Jirga had sought time to get the final opinion of higher authorities in Jalalabad and Kabul. “They haven’t informed us of the final decision of the Afghan authorities,” Kazmi added.

Khyber Chamber of Commerce Senior Vice President Wajid Ali Shinwari told The Express Pakinomist that the negotiations focused on a ceasefire and no construction in disputed places on the border, adding that reopening the border was linked to these two points.

“From the Pakistani side we agree that no construction will be made until the reopening [of the border] But they would take the matter to the governor of Nangarhar. The Nangarhar Governor is still indefinite and took the case to Kabul, and so far the Afghan side has shown no interest. “

Although the border still remained closed, a ceasefire was still intact while the construction had stopped. “Jirga can be denoted successfully because the ceasefire is intact and the construction is also stopped. The Afghan side was pressing for the border to be open until 15. After Eid – the next meeting,” said Shinwari.

However, Pakistani Jirga remained optimistic in receiving a positive message from the Afghan side soon. They said emergency consultation consultations were underway between the Afghan Jirga and their authorities, while the Torkham intersection remains closed for the 25th of the following day.

Meanwhile, border security officials from both sides should plan to meet at 1 p.m. 9 Wednesday (today) to discuss and make the final decision to reopen the border.

With additional input from our Peshawar -Criente Shahbullah Yousufzai)