KHYBER AGENCY: Construction of fence at Pak-Afghan Torkham border resumed on Saturday.
Ghuncha Gul, the political tehsildar of Torkham told reporters that installation of fence was started at 10am (Saturday) and all sort of traffic has also been restored via Torkham border after Chief of Army Staff General Raheel Sharif ordered to re-open the Pak-Afghan border.
Meanwhile, Frontier Corps (FC) Inspector General (IG) Major General Shaheen Mazhar visited Pak-Afghan border Torkham inspecting the site of fence installation and observed the construction work. He also met the FC personnel and awarded cash amount to them for their excellent security measurements that they made during the four days of border closure. It was learnt that FC personnel were awarded for their bravery and vigilance at Torkham border to thwart any unpleasant incident with iron hands during the four days border closure.
The officials of the political administration at Torkham border told newsmen that around 7,000 to 8,000 pedestrians cross the border daily and some 250 trucks enter Afghanistan via Torkham border carrying export goods while some 120 trucks laden with import goods also enter Pakistan via Torkham. It is to reiterate that Pak-Afghan border Torkham was closed after the Afghanistan border officials asked Pakistan border authorities to stop the construction work on the installation of fence close to Afghanistan side. As the protest Pakistani border authorities closed the Torkham border for all sort of traffic and argued that unless the construction of fence was started, the border will be closed.
According to Pakistani border authorities they were making extra security measurements close to Afghanistan by installing fence and barbed wire to stop the illegal and suspected persons entry to Pakistan via Torkham border.
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