Pakistan closes Torkham crossing

PESHAWAR (Pajhwok): Pakistan announced on Tuesday the closure of the main crossing with Afghanistan.

Interior Minister Sheikh Rashid Ahmad tweeted the decision had been taken on the advice of the National Command and Control Centre (NCOC).

“All types of immigration departures and arrivals will be closed from today at Torkham,” the minister wrote.

With Covid-19 infections and deaths spiking in Afghanistan, Rashid said the main Durand Line crossing would stay shut till fresh guidelines from NCOC.

A day earlier, NCOC unveiled what it called safety protocols for 3,000 Afghan students who started arriving in Pakistan.

The Afghan students would undergo 10-day mandatory quarantine, the Centre decided at a meeting chaired by Federal Minister for Planning, Development and Special Initiatives Asad Umar.

The Afghan students are enrolled in different educational institutions across Pakistan. Effective coronavirus-testing arrangements have been put in place for the students.

The students testing positive would be sent back to Afghanistan while the rest would be kept in compulsory quarantine for 10 days.

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