LANDI KOTAL, Dec 29: The Torkham border was reopened on Saturday after remaining closed for almost 20 hours in protest against beating of two Pakistani truck drivers by Afghan police on December 27.

Officials at the border said that regular traffic was allowed to move across the border after Afghan and Pakistani officials agreed to prevent occurrence of such ‘ugly’ incidents in future.

The Pakistani border guards closed the border on Saturday morning after the two truckers complained about severe torture at the hands of Afghan police at Pul-i-Charkhi checkpost near Kabul on December 27.

However, Pakistani border guards allowed the traffic to cross over to Afghanistan and let the stranded Afghans to enter Pakistan at around 5pm.

Officials said that those Afghans, who didn’t possess legal documents, would not be allowed to enter Pakistan. They said that both the governments also agreed to take action against those, who were involved in three incidents of torture of nationals of both the countries. They would ensure safety of each other’s nationals when they entered either country, they said.

Meanwhile, a woman was killed and her son received injuries when a mortar shell fell on a house in Yousuf Takan area of Bara on Saturday.

In another incident, an official of Mehsud Scout was killed when militants fired at a security checkpost  in Nala-Malikdinkhel area. Security forces later targeted militant hideouts in the area.

However, no loss of life was reported in the artillery shelling.

Opinion

Editorial

Climate choices
Updated 15 Jun, 2026

Climate choices

The country is confronting increasingly volatile weather patterns with consequences for agriculture, infrastructure, public health and economic planning.
Brief opening
15 Jun, 2026

Brief opening

WE have been here before. Throughout the weekend, there was great anticipation that a tentative framework for peace...
Environmental disaster
15 Jun, 2026

Environmental disaster

IT was a heartbreaking sight. A recent news report in these pages carried a picture of a sea turtle lying half ...
Budget presser
Updated 14 Jun, 2026

Budget presser

If the FBR falters, the government will find itself in hot water sooner rather than later.
Muharram precautions
14 Jun, 2026

Muharram precautions

WITH Muharram due to start next week, the authorities have already begun annual exercises to ensure that the ...
Blood bequests
14 Jun, 2026

Blood bequests

WORLD Blood Donor Day offers a moment of “gratitude, advocacy and renewed commitment” for thalassaemia patients...