PESHAWAR: The Afg­han Taliban authorities on Sunday closed down one of the main trading and border crossing points with Pakistan, accusing Islam­abad of reneging on its commitments.

The Afghan Taliban commissioner for Torkham said the border point had been closed down for travel and transit trade.

“Pakistan has not abided by its commitments and so the gateway has been shut down on the directions of (our) leadership,” Taliban commissioner at Torkham Maulavi Mohammad Siddique tweeted.

He advised the people of Afghanistan to avoid travelling to the border crossing in eastern Nangrahar province.

However, the Taliban official didn’t specify the commitment Islamabad allegedly breached. Some unconfirmed media rep­orts suggested the Taliban were irked by an unannounced ban on tra­vel of Afghan patients seeking treatment in Pakistan.

There was no immediate official word from Foreign Office in Islamabad.

Published in Dawn, February 20th, 2023