Dispute over Zangali checkpost disrupts Torkham operations

The repatriation of Afghan families was halted for approximately two hours on Monday due to a disagreement over the repair or construction of the contentious Zangali checkpost on the Afghan side of the Torkham border, according to customs and immigration officials. Government office staff were also instructed to leave during this dispute.

While there was no formal announcement regarding the controversy, the Customs and immigration offices were temporarily shut down and the repatriation process of undocumented Afghans paused. Sabir Khan, a local resident of Torkham, reported that the repatriation of Afghan nationals resumed after roughly two hours, and the Customs and immigration offices reopened.

Nevertheless, tensions persisted until late in the afternoon. Residents were not required to vacate their homes, and the Torkham market was closed for between three to four hours during this period. Customs and immigration officials later confirmed that their operations, including the clearance of belongings of returning Afghan families and immigration procedures, were reinstated following the Afghan side's suspension of construction work on the disputed checkpost.

The Zangali checkpost, situated near the zero point of the Torkham border, has been a perpetual point of contention between the neighboring nations. Pakistani border security forces have consistently opposed any construction or repair on the site, contending that it lies within a border area about which they and Afghanistan had previously agreed to abstain from erecting security-related structures.

Sources indicated that a firm message from Pakistani border security officials to their Afghan counterparts prevented a potential armed conflict between the two sides.