(MENAFN) Following weeks of closure, Pakistan and Afghanistan reopened two major border crossings for people on Saturday after agreements reached in Istanbul. The Torkham crossing in Pakistan’s Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, linking to Afghanistan’s Nangarhar province, and the Chaman border in Balochistan, connecting to Kandahar province, had been closed since October 12 after deadly clashes between the two countries.

Both borders serve as vital routes for trade and civilian movement among the 18 official crossings shared by Pakistan and Afghanistan. Reports indicate that Torkham reopened for families traveling to Afghanistan, though trade remains suspended temporarily, with expectations to resume on Monday.

The reopening follows a ceasefire agreement made during Istanbul talks, with Pakistani and Afghan delegations scheduled to meet again on November 6 to discuss truce implementation and measures to prevent further tensions, according to Turkish authorities. The dialogue was facilitated by Türkiye and Qatar, following an initial round of talks in Doha last month.

Meanwhile, Pakistan saw its highest monthly militant casualties in decades, with 355 terrorists killed in October. Of the 458 total fatalities reported in terrorist incidents, 72 were security personnel and 30 were civilians, according to a local security think tank.

MENAFN02112025000045017640ID1110282527