PESHAWAR: Afghan citizens have to stay in different parts of Landi Kotal area in Khyber Agency after border crossing at Torkham remained closed for the fourth consecutive day, a private TV channel reported.
On Thursday, much-awaited talks between Pakistan and Afghanistan on the border crossing at Torkham ended in a stalemate. Pakistan closed the border on Tuesday after the Afghan forces prevented fencing along the border to stop illegal cross-border movements.
Witnesses said that thousands of people and vehicles were stuck up on both sides of the border. Soon after the border closure, Afghan nationals including women, children and patients who were stuck due to tension took shelter in under construction buildings, verandas and other shades in the tribal area.
Treating them as their guests, the local tribesmen are providing food, water and other necessities to the stranded people in their areas. They (the local tribesmen) were displeased with the uncertain situation at the border, the channel reported.
Talking to the local media, the Afghan nationals said that they had to stay in local market laces with the hope that the border would open soon and they would return to their native areas in Afghanistan. For the last 36 hours, they were waiting in loaded trucks on Landi Kotal-Torkham road to cross the border, they lamented.
