Torkham border sealed for two hours over ‘gate dispute’

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The Pakistan-Afghanistan border at Torkham remained closed for at least two hours on Wednesday following a dispute between the personnel of law enforcement agencies of the two countries.
The border was later reopened and both sides agreed to resume traffic and travelling.
According to details, the Afghanistan law enforcement personnel reacted strongly when their Pakistani counterparts restarted the construction of a gate between the two countries.
The gate was demolished by Afghanistan security forces in 2005. When Pakistani forces resumed construction of the gate, hot words were exchanged between the border personnel. Construction material for the gate was also destroyed by the Afghan forces.
The two sides suspended transportation and travelling. However, with the help of mediators, the two sides entered into a dialogue and after two hours of negotiations, smooth traffic and travelling was resumed.
A law enforcement official told Pakistan Today that so far, the two sides had agreed to resume routine traffic, business and transportation. However, he said there was still an intense debate over the construction of the gate. He added that the issue of the construction of the gate would be taken up with government officials in Kabul and Afghanistan.
Afghan authorities have not only made objections over the gate at Torkham but they made similar reservations over border checkposts and other official installations by Pakistan in Bajaur and Chaman.