LANDI KOTAL: The Torkham border crossing will remain closed for three days owing to general elections in Afghanistan.

The local border officials said that they held a meeting with their Afghan counterparts on Thursday and decided to keep the border closed for security purpose on October 19, 20 and 21.

They said that the step was taken to facilitate peaceful general elections in Afghanistan, planned for October 20. They said that request for closure of border for three day was made by the Afghan authorities.

Officials said that patients and their relatives would be allowed to come to Pakistan during those three days. However, ordinary citizens would be barred from using the border crossing along with halting of business activities for three days between the two countries via the Torkham border, they added.

Published in Dawn, October 19th, 2018