Afghan Repatriation Resumes Amid Worsening Torkham Closure Crisis

LANDI KOTAL / KHYBER DISTRICT – The repatriation of Afghan nationals from Pakistan’s Khyber district has resumed following the Eid al-Adha holidays, even as the prolonged closure of the Torkham border crossing deepens economic and humanitarian woes on both sides of the frontier.

According to Pakistani officials, more than 82,500 Afghans have returned to their homeland during the current phase of the government’s repatriation drive. Since September 2023, over 1.17 million Afghan refugees have reportedly returned to Afghanistan. The latest phase, launched on February 28, has seen thousands transported through the Torkham crossing, including 1,208 individuals from Khyber district alone.

Authorities stress that the repatriation operation continues across Pakistan, while enforcement measures against undocumented Afghan nationals have intensified. In Khyber, officials registered 42 cases against Afghans residing illegally in the district and deported them after completing legal procedures. Additionally, authorities sealed 44 businesses in Bara, Jamrud, and Landi Kotal that were allegedly being operated unlawfully by Afghan nationals.

The Landi Kotal holding centre remains the focal point of the repatriation process, receiving more than 3,000 Afghan refugees daily from various parts of Pakistan. After biometric verification and registration, refugees are transferred across the border on the same day.

Crossing Closure Disrupts Trade, Strands Hundreds of Vehicles

While repatriation efforts continue, the prolonged shutdown of the Torkham crossing to trade and pedestrian traffic has created mounting economic challenges. The closure, initially prompted by security and diplomatic disputes, has now entered its most critical phase, with no immediate resolution in sight.

Transport union officials report that hundreds of Pakistani drivers, conductors, and vehicles remain stranded in Afghanistan. Representatives say they submitted a list to authorities more than a month ago identifying 560 drivers and conductors along with 900 trailers, but little progress has been made in securing their return. Although some transport workers have managed to return via the Chaman crossing, many remain stuck in Afghanistan. Union leaders warn that trucks and trailers left idle for months have deteriorated, causing significant financial losses and threatening the livelihoods of thousands of families dependent on cross-border trade.

Grand Jirga in Landi Kotal Warns of Post-Eid Protests

Growing frustration over the situation prompted a grand jirga in Landi Kotal, attended by political leaders, tribal elders, traders, labour representatives, and transport operators. Participants said the continued suspension of movement and commerce through Torkham had severely damaged the region’s economy, increased unemployment, and placed additional financial strain on local communities.

The jirga concluded with a joint resolution warning that protests could begin after Eid if the issue remains unresolved. Organisers said demonstrators may block the Pakistan-Afghanistan highway and could also seek to halt the ongoing repatriation process a move that would directly challenge government policy.

Speaking at the gathering, religious leader Mufti Ijaz Shinwari said the closure of key crossings with Afghanistan had pushed many families in the tribal districts into economic hardship. He claimed that more than 1,500 Pakistani trucks and large commercial vehicles, along with drivers, conductors, and students, remain stranded in Afghanistan under difficult conditions, with limited access to food, shelter, or medical care.

Shinwari added that a joint meeting of political groups, tribal elders, traders, and transport unions would be held in the coming days to determine further action, including possible protest measures aimed at pressuring authorities to resolve the border impasse.

Background and Outlook

The Torkham border a vital artery for trade and transit between Pakistan and landlocked Afghanistan has been closed multiple times over the past year due to security clashes, documentation disputes, and political tensions between Islamabad and the Taliban-led government in Kabul. The current closure, one of the longest in recent memory, has exacerbated economic distress in Pakistan’s former tribal regions, where cross-border trade supports tens of thousands of families.

With Eid al-Adha now concluded, all eyes are on Pakistani and Afghan authorities to see whether diplomatic channels can reopen the crossing before public frustration boils over into sustained protests.

Our Pashto-Dari Website

  Donate Here