KHYBER: Families who were displaced due to heavy cross border firing between Pakistan and Afghanistan in recent days started returning to their homes here on Thursday after a ceasefire was announced by both the neighbouring countries.

Sources in Pasedkhel and Bacha Maina localities, close to Torkham border told Dawn that at least 35 families from Pasedkhel and another thirty families of Bacha Maina have returned to their homes.

Some of these families had shifted to host families houses in Landi Kotal while around 20 more had taken refuge in the British-era railway tunnels near Landi Kotal bazaar.

An unspecified number of families from Landi Kotal, who had shifted to Peshawar during the cross border crisis, have also started returning to their homes in different parts of Landi Kotal. Most of these families had temporarily rented houses in Peshawar.

Meanwhile, the district administration on Thursday distributed food items among the 35 families of Pasedkhel area.

Published in Dawn, March 20th, 2026