Overview
- Authorities opened the crossing solely to process Afghan nationals returning to Afghanistan, with officials reporting large crowds at the Torkham immigration center.
- Cargo, commercial traffic and regular pedestrian crossings remain halted until further notice, according to Pakistan’s Foreign Office.
- The route had been shut since Oct. 11–12 after border clashes that triggered a blanket closure of major gateways and a suspension of trade.
- Following six days of Istanbul talks, Pakistan and Afghan representatives agreed to uphold the Doha-brokered truce and to establish a monitoring and verification mechanism, with principals due to meet on Nov. 6.
- UNHCR cited roughly 615,000 undocumented Afghans repatriated through Torkham as of Oct. 8, while reports describe stranded trucks, local price spikes and Afghan officials publicly welcoming returning families.