Afghanistan: Pakistan reopens border crossing following shooting

Pakistani authorities this week reopened a key border crossing that it shares with Afghanistan. The reopening of the border crossing took place a week after a shooting occurred in the area.

Chaman official Shehzad Zehri, in the southwestern Pakistani province of Balochistan, confirmed to Al Jazeera Monday that the border crossing with Afghanistan was reopened. The reopening took place a week after an Afghan gunman opened fire and fatally shot a Pakistani security guard. The shooting forced the closure of the border crossing.

“The deadlock has ended and mobility between the two countries has resumed for all purposes, including pedestrians as well as trade,” said Zehri.

Other Pakistani officials also told the outlet that the decision to reopen the Chaman border crossing was made following a meeting between Pakistani and Afghan officials Sunday. Afghan authorities expressed regret over the shooting, according to another Chaman official, Abdul Hameed Zehri, with the Afghan authorities assuring that action will be taken.

The Chaman Chamber of Commerce’s former president Imran Kakar said that Sunday’s meeting between the two sides was in a “friendly environment.” Kakar added that the local businesses hope that such an incident will not put a damper on the livelihood of thousands of traders who pass through the border crossing.

Last week, the Taliban administration issued a statement over the shooting. The insurgent group condemned the incident and ordered the formation of a fact-finding committee. Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid also denied the allegations levied by Pakistani media that the gunman was a member of the Afghan border forces.

Previously, Afghanistan’s unofficial representative to the COP27 climate summit, climate activist Abdulhadi Achakzai educated delegates at the climate conference in Egypt about the country’s climate crisis to further raise awareness. Experts have already attributed climate change to the natural calamities that have occurred in the country and have called for international funding to address the situation.

The United Nations mission in Afghanistan has also called for urgent action on the climate crisis in the country, saying that Afghanistan is “one of the least prepared against climate shocks.” The UN mission added that Afghanistan is the sixth-most affected in the world by climate-related disasters.