ISLAMABAD: Pakistan army on Saturday handed over a purpose-built border crossing facility at Angoor Ada to Afghan authorities, the military’s media wing said.

“With aim to strengthen brotherly relations with Afghanistan besides strategic intent to improve border management, the border-crossing facility was handed over to Afghan authorities at Angoor Ada, a buffering town,” the director general of Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), Lt Gen Asim Bajwa, tweeted.

The military’s spokesperson said “this gesture will act as a catalyst and is envisioned to bring momentum for establishing peace and stability along Pak-Afghan border”.

It was reiterated during the process that all border related issues will be amicably resolved through mutual consultations, he added.

Earlier this month the Afghan ambassador to Pakistan, Omer Zakhilwal, met Army Chief General Raheel Sharif and agreed to resolve the Torkham border issue and resume the routine cross border traffic.

Tension had escalated between Pakistan and Afghanistan and the two countries deployed tanks and armoured personnel carriers along the tense Torkham border besides sending more troops after their negotiating teams failed to resolve the border fencing dispute.