ISLAMABAD: Pakistan has allowed more than 700 truckloads of humanitarian cargo to cross into Afghanistan through the Torkham border crossing in its northwest, UN and Pakistani officials said on Friday.
Pakistan has kept its border crossings with Afghanistan closed for trade since October 2025, following a series of deadly clashes and heightening security tensions. The shutdown also halted the movement of Afghan transit cargo through Karachi.
Repeated border clashes and worsening economic situation have forced tens of thousands of Afghans to leave their homes, with UN and other international agencies delivering “life-saving food” to displaced Afghan families.
Mohamed Yahya, the UN resident and humanitarian coordinator in Pakistan, said on Friday that 724 trucks of humanitarian cargo had crossed into Afghanistan through Torkham, reaching families who needed it most.
“Deeply grateful to the Government of Pakistan and all those who made it possible to keep the humanitarian lifeline open. Together, we delivered,” he said on X.
Pakistan’s Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar responded to the post, saying: “Glad to have facilitated this important humanitarian effort by the United Nations and also to ensure assistance for the brethren in need in Afghanistan!“
Tensions between Pakistan and Afghanistan rose in the wake of a surge in deadly militant attacks inside Pakistan, particularly since the Taliban returned to power in Afghanistan.
Islamabad has frequently accused Afghanistan of supporting the Pakistani Taliban and other militant groups behind these attacks, an allegation denied by Kabul. The continuing attacks have resulted in fierce clashes between both countries in recent months.
