Pakistani authorities on Monday reopened a border crossing with Afghanistan after nearly a week of closure due to an attack in the area, amid a spike in bilateral tensions and the latest clashes along the Durand Line.
The reopened crossing is the Chaman crossing, known as ‘Friendship Gate’, which was closed on November 13 following an attack from Afghan territory that resulted in the death of a Pakistani soldier, as reported by Geo TV.
During the reopening ceremony, border officials from both countries shook hands, while the authorities in Kabul and Islamabad agreed that all types of vehicles will be able to pass through again and deal with any security threat in the area.
The Taliban said Thursday that the situation on the border was «normal» after fighting over the past week. Afghanistan and Pakistan have been engaged in heavy fighting along the border demarcation, known as the Durand Line.
In fact, authorities from both countries agreed in January to form a joint ministerial committee to resolve disputes over the 2,640-kilometer Durand Line, which marks the border between the two countries.
The Durand Line was established in 1893 following an agreement between the then British Foreign Secretary in India, Mortimer Durand, and the Afghan Amir Abdur Rahman Khan to delimit spheres of influence.
Following Pakistan’s independence, Islamabad came to recognize it as its border with Afghanistan, although Kabul took no such step. This line divides the Pashtun and Baloch communities living on both sides of the border, which has led to disputes in both countries.
