KHYBER: The repatriation of Afghan families was suspended for about two hours, while staff members of government offices were asked to leave after a dispute over the repair or construction of a controversial checkpost on the Afghan side of the Torkham border emerged on Monday.

Although there was no official statement on the controversy surrounding the repair or construction of the disputed Zangali checkpost, Customs and immigration officials confirmed the temporary closure of their offices and suspension of the repatriation process for undocumented Afghans.

Sabir Khan, a resident of Torkham, told Dawn that the repatriation of Afghans resumed after about two hours and the Customs and immigration offices reopened. However, the situation remained tense until late afternoon.

He said residents were not asked to vacate their homes, while the Torkham market remained closed for three to four hours.

Customs and immigration officials later confirmed that their operations, including the clearance of belongings of returning Afghan families and immigration procedures, had resumed after the Afghan authorities suspended construction work on the disputed checkpost.

The Zangali checkpost, located near the zero point of the Torkham border, has long been a bone of contention between the two neighbouring countries. Pakistani border security forces have repeatedly opposed its construction or repair, arguing that the site falls within a border area where both countries had previously agreed to refrain from constructing security-related structures.

Sources said a stern message from Pakistani border security officials to their Afghan counterparts helped avert a possible armed clash between the two sides.

Published in Dawn, October 20th, 2026