Trucks Stuck at Torkham Border : Thousands of Trucks with Critical Supplies Stuck at Torkham Border

Kabul, March 13 (NationPress) The World Food Programme (WFP) has reported that numerous trucks are currently immobilized at the Torkham border crossing between Pakistan and Afghanistan, which has been shut since February 21 following a series of violent confrontations that have caused the deaths of numerous armed personnel and civilians on both sides.

The trucks are transporting essential food supplies along with other commercial and humanitarian goods for the at-risk communities in Afghanistan.

The WFP projects that 22.9 million Afghans will need humanitarian aid in 2025, with 14.8 million facing severe food insecurity. As humanitarian organizations grapple with logistical hurdles and escalating displacement, the impasse at the Torkham border represents yet another obstruction in the mission to deliver vital assistance to the Afghan populace.

“Hundreds of cargo trucks are stuck here, including transit goods. Some of these items have already spoiled, leading to financial losses for traders. The governments of Pakistan and Afghanistan must address this issue,” Mohammad Gul, a driver on the Torkham route, informed a prominent Afghan media outlet, TOLOnews.

In the meantime, discussions between Pakistan and Afghanistan aimed at resolving the 19-day Torkham border deadlock collapsed after the Afghan delegation exited, accusing Pakistan of failing to take the negotiations seriously.

The volatile border, which is one of the most significant crossings between Afghanistan and Pakistan, facilitates the highest volume of trade and movement between the two nations. The current circumstances have dealt a severe blow to traders on both sides of the border, who have incurred millions of dollars in losses due to the standoff.

Pakistan closed the Torkham crossing last month after Afghan forces were involved in construction activities on their side. “Whenever we construct facilities, they shut down the route. We tell them, if you don’t allow us to build facilities, then you shouldn’t construct them either,” stated Abdul Jabbar Hikmat, Afghanistan’s Torkham Commissioner.

Meanwhile, numerous drivers and passengers have expressed their frustration over the closure, highlighting that it has resulted in significant hardships for the people.

“One of our patients is here, and we cannot take him to Peshawar for treatment. Another patient has died on the other side, and Pakistan is not allowing us to retrieve the body because the gate has been closed since,” narrated Noor-ul-Haq, who was accompanying a patient at Torkham.