PESHAWAR: The Torkham border crossing has reopened after a 20-day closure to facilitate the repatriation of illegal Afghan residents from Pakistan.
The move is part of the government’s broader campaign to address the presence of undocumented migrants.
Deputy Commissioner Khyber Bilal Shahid stated that the border was opened to facilitate the return of Afghan nationals, with hundreds of refugees already arriving at the Torkham immigration center for processing and departure.
Despite the reopening for deportation purposes, trade and pedestrian movement through the crossing will stay suspended until further notice.
The Torkham border had been closed on October 11 due to rising tensions between Pakistan and Afghanistan, halting trade and travel on both sides.
According to UNHCR spokesperson Qaiser Khan Afridi, more than 615,000 illegal Afghan nationals had been deported through Torkham by October 8.
The reopening follows recent peace talks in Istanbul, Turkiye, where Pakistan and Afghanistan agreed to extend their ceasefire.
The discussions, held from October 25 to 30, 2025, were mediated by Turkiye and Qatar. A joint statement confirmed that representatives from all four countries reached a consensus to continue the ceasefire, with the next round of talks scheduled for November 6, 2025.