Pakistan approves UN to deliver aid to Afghanistan via 2 crucial border points

Pakistan to Allow UN Aid Deliveries to Afghanistan via Key Border Crossings

PESHAWAR, Pakistan Pakistan has agreed to permit the United Nations to send relief supplies into Afghanistan through two crucial border crossings that have been closed for nearly two months, according to a government official on Thursday. Mohammad Anas, spokesperson for the Khyber district administration in the northwest, confirmed to The Associated Press that the Chaman and Torkham crossings will now be accessible for U.N.-requested humanitarian shipments. However, these borders will remain closed for general trade and travel. Initial shipments will consist of food, followed by medical supplies and other essential goods.

The border closures began in early October after Afghan forces attacked Pakistani military posts in retaliation for Pakistani airstrikes in Afghanistan. Although a ceasefire facilitated by Qatar remains in place, diplomatic talks between the two nations in Qatar and Istanbul have stalled, with both sides accusing each other of wrongdoing. Since the closures, only Afghan refugees have been allowed to cross through Chaman and Torkham, with no other movement permitted.

This decision comes just days after Pakistans Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar mentioned receiving a request from the United Nations for access to the crossings to deliver urgently needed food and medicine to the Afghan population.

In Kabul, Afghan government spokesperson Zabiullah Mujahid criticized the closures, calling them an "illegal imposition" by Pakistan, aimed at exerting political and economic pressure. He argued that the move has caused significant hardship for people on both sides of the border. Mujahid also stated on the X platform that trade routes will only reopen if Pakistan guarantees they wont be blocked again.

Chaman and Torkham are critical for Pakistans trade with Central Asia. Islamabad maintains that the border closure was a response to Kabuls support for the Pakistani Taliban (TTP), a militant group that has carried out numerous attacks in Pakistan. TTP, which is designated as a terrorist organization by the United States and the United Nations, has close ties with the Afghan Taliban, and its activities have intensified since the Taliban took control of Afghanistan in 2021.

The closure of the crossings has resulted in significant losses for traders on both sides. In response, Afghan authorities have started promoting alternative trade routes, while Pakistani unions argue that Chaman and Torkham are the most efficient and direct routes for commerce.

Author: Natalie Monroe