After weeks of uncertainty and mounting humanitarian pressure, Pakistan and Afghanistan have reopened their two most critical border crossings—Torkham and Chaman—marking a cautious but significant step toward easing regional tensions. The move, which came into effect on Saturday, November 2, 2025, follows deadly border clashes, a sweeping closure that upended lives and trade, and intense ceasefire negotiations mediated by Türkiye and Qatar in Istanbul and Doha.
The Torkham crossing, linking Pakistan’s Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province with Afghanistan’s Nangarhar province, and the Chaman border, connecting Balochistan to Kandahar, had both been shuttered since October 12. The closure came after fierce fighting between border forces from both countries, with each side reporting dozens of casualties. According to The Associated Press, Pakistan’s military acknowledged losing 23 troops, while Afghan officials claimed 58 Pakistani soldiers were killed in retaliatory strikes after airstrikes on Taliban hideouts. Pakistani authorities described those killed as insurgents, but Afghan officials insisted civilians were among the dead.
The border shutdown, which lasted nearly three weeks, left thousands of Afghan refugees stranded in limbo and hundreds of trucks carrying goods idling at the frontier. The humanitarian toll was immediate and severe. Many Afghan families were moved to temporary camps near the border, while others waited along the roadside, desperate for a chance to return home. The closure also triggered shortages and price hikes for essential goods—especially perishable items like tomatoes—in Pakistani markets, as reported by local news outlets.
"Hundreds of Afghan nationals have reached the immigration center, where documentation and verification processes are underway before they are allowed to cross into Afghanistan," Bilal Rao, Deputy Commissioner of Khyber district, told Anadolu. The reopening, he explained, is initially limited to families and individuals seeking repatriation, with commercial trade still on hold until the security situation stabilizes.
According to officials cited by The Express Tribune, nearly 10,700 individuals returned through the Chaman border in a single day, while thousands more crossed at Torkham. The process has been extended to accommodate Afghan families with or without valid travel documents, reflecting the urgency and scale of the repatriation drive. Since 2023, more than 1.56 million Afghan nationals have returned to Afghanistan under Pakistan’s ongoing campaign to deport those living illegally in the country.
Authorities on both sides have made efforts to ensure the process is orderly and humane. Temporary shelters, food supplies, and medical facilities were set up at the border to support departing families, with the Frontier Corps and civil administration coordinating logistics. "The state has ensured that all humanitarian needs of Afghan refugees are addressed during the transition," an official said to the media. Videos released by Afghanistan’s Information and Culture Department showed officials and soldiers at the Torkham gate holding flowers to welcome returning refugees—a gesture that, while symbolic, underscored the fraught but hopeful atmosphere at the border.
The reopening of the crossings is the direct result of a ceasefire agreement hammered out in Istanbul after nearly a week of negotiations. Talks were facilitated by Türkiye and Qatar, whose diplomatic efforts were praised by both Islamabad and Kabul. The initial dialogue began in Doha last month before shifting to Istanbul, where the two sides agreed to maintain the truce and resume pedestrian movement at Torkham and Chaman. The Turkish Foreign Ministry confirmed that delegations from both countries will reconvene in Istanbul on November 6 to solidify additional principles for maintaining the ceasefire and to discuss measures that could prevent future cross-border tensions.
Despite the progress, restrictions remain. Trade across the border is still suspended, with officials stating that commercial operations will only resume once the security situation is deemed stable. "The border remains closed for trade for now," Pakistan’s Foreign Office spokesperson Tahir Andrabi told reporters, adding that a review of the situation is ongoing. However, Pakistani officials at Torkham indicated to Anadolu that trade could resume as early as Monday, November 3, if all goes according to plan.
The reopening marks a diplomatic thaw at a time of heightened security concerns in the region. According to the Pakistan Institute for Conflict and Security Studies, October 2025 saw the highest number of militant casualties in decades, with 355 terrorists killed and 72 security personnel among the 458 people killed in terrorist attacks. Most of these attacks were claimed by the Pakistani Taliban, or Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan, a group designated as a terrorist organization by both the United States and the United Nations. The group, while separate from the Afghan Taliban, has grown emboldened since the latter’s takeover of Kabul in 2021.
The border crisis also exposed diplomatic strains. Afghanistan’s ambassador to Pakistan, Ahmad Shakeeb, publicly criticized the border closure on social media, prompting a sharp rebuke from Pakistan’s Foreign Ministry, which accused him of violating diplomatic norms by airing grievances online rather than through official channels. Yet, both sides ultimately returned to the negotiating table, with international mediators helping to broker a fragile peace.
For many families caught in the crossfire—literally and figuratively—the reopening of Torkham and Chaman is a lifeline. The process is far from over, and the situation remains tense, but the phased return to normalcy is a welcome relief. As one Pakistani official at the border put it, "The border crossing reopened today for families traveling to Afghanistan, but it will remain closed for trade." The message is clear: humanitarian considerations come first, but economic ties and broader reconciliation will require sustained effort and vigilance.
Looking ahead, the upcoming talks in Istanbul on November 6 are seen as critical for cementing the ceasefire and addressing the root causes of the recurring border clashes. The region’s stability, the safety of millions, and the prospect of renewed trade all hang in the balance. For now, though, thousands of Afghan refugees are finally making their way home, and the world is watching to see if this fragile peace can hold.
