The Kabul Tribune (KT) — Dawn reported that the return process of undocumented Afghan migrants through the Torkham Border Crossing has been abruptly suspended.
According to the report, the decision was made after a Pakistani border security official was injured in what was described as a cross-border attack from Afghan territory.
The incident reportedly occurred on Thursday evening near the “Awal Khan” post, prompting Pakistani border forces to go on high alert.
Sources in Torkham and at the Hamza Baba transit point told Dawn that despite the presence of officials from multiple agencies—including the National Database and Registration Authority, the Federal Investigation Agency, police, and other institutions—the registration and return process of Afghan migrants has been halted.
The sources said around 220 Afghan migrants had been registered and returned through the crossing on Thursday, before the process was stopped following the escalation in security tensions.
Pakistani security officials said facilities for migrant returns have been suspended until further notice due to what they described as a “tense situation and aggressive behavior” from the Afghan side.
The Torkham crossing, one of the most important transit routes between Afghanistan and Pakistan, had only reopened on Thursday after remaining closed for several weeks.
