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Arab News
04-03-2025
- Business
- Arab News
Pakistan-Afghanistan border clashes ease, thousands seek shelter
PESHAWAR: Overnight clashes between Pakistani and Afghan security forces at the main border crossing between the countries caused thousands of people to flee their homes but the situation had calmed down by Tuesday morning, residents and officials said. The conflict started on Monday, the first working day of Ramadan, when food imports from Pakistan usually peak in Afghanistan. Around 15,000 local residents fled to Landi Kotal due to the clashes, an official said. Afghan border guards had opened fire without warning, targeting government buildings and civilians, and causing widespread panic. 'The tensions between the two countries and continuous closure of the border has been causing multiple problems to the people of the border area. People are very poor and dependent on their businesses related to the border,' Ali Shinwari, who lives in the border town, told Reuters. Relatives and tribesmen in a nearby town have been hosting dozens of relatives since the border closure, he added. The Torkham crossing has been shut since February 21 due to a dispute over the construction of a border-area outpost by Afghanistan, Pakistani officials said on condition of anonymity. Pakistan's Ministry of Foreign Affairs did not immediately respond to a request for a comment. The Taliban-run Afghan Interior Ministry said on Monday one Taliban fighter was killed and two injured, while Pakistani security officials reported that members of their forces had also been wounded. The Torkham crossing is the main transit artery for travelers and goods between Pakistan and landlocked Afghanistan. Trade between the countries was worth over $1.6 billion in 2024, according to Pakistan's foreign office. The closure has stranded 5,000 trucks filled with essential goods and caused at least $15 million in losses, said Yousaf Afridi, president of the Chamber of Commerce and Industries for Pakistan's Khyber district where the Torkham crossing is located.
Arab News
27-02-2025
- Politics
- Arab News
Key Pakistan-Afghanistan border crossing remains shut for fifth day over ‘construction' dispute
PESHAWAR: The key Torkham border crossing connecting Pakistan and Afghanistan remained shut for trade and traffic for the fifth consecutive day on Wednesday, a senior police official confirmed, as a dispute between both sides related to 'construction' work lingers on. Pakistani authorities closed the Torkham border crossing late Friday night when Afghan authorities initiated 'construction of trenches and other development work' along the border, Naheed Khan, a senior police official in Pakistan's Khyber district that borders Afghanistan said. Border clashes between Pakistani and Afghan forces have led to the closure of key crossings like Torkham and Chaman in the past, severely disrupting trade and halting the movement of people between the two countries. Khan said both sides held two rounds of talks at Torkham recently but negotiations between border officials failed to yield any results. 'Now it is highly likely that the issue will be taken up for high-level discussions between Islamabad and Kabul,' Khan told Arab News. The police official said some families from Bacha Mina, a dusty town on the Torkham border's outskirts on the Pakistani side, had already left the area out of fear of a skirmish the two between border forces. He said most trucks loaded with perishable items had returned to Landi Kotal and Jamrud Bazaar towns in Pakistan near Torkham. There was no immediate comment from the Afghan side on the closure of the key border crossing. Kiftan Bacha, an Afghan customs clearing agent, told Arab News that fruits and vegetables laden on trucks on Afghanistan's side were being spoiled due to the border closure. 'Passengers and especially patients suffer the most,' Bacha said. 'Authorities on both sides should at least allow patients to cross the border for immediate treatment in Pakistan.' Zarqeeb Shinwar, a Pakistani customs clearing agent agreed, calling on both countries to seek a permanent solution to the dispute. 'Its [border] closure creates a logistical crisis, discouraging trade and causing immense problems for travelers,' Shinwar told Arab News. 'Both sides need to explore its immediate and permanent solution to alleviate problems of people living in border areas.' The development comes at a time of strained ties between Pakistan and Afghanistan over a surge in militant attacks in Pakistan's western provinces that lie on its border with Afghanistan. Islamabad has frequently accused Afghanistan of sheltering and supporting militant groups that launch cross-border attacks. Afghan officials deny involvement and insist that Pakistan's security issues are the country's internal matter. In August, the Torkham border was shut down for three days after the Afghan Taliban announced they were investigating reports of Pakistani fighter jets allegedly violating Afghanistan's airspace in Nangarhar and Kunar provinces. Tensions escalated again between the two countries in December, following reports of Pakistani airstrikes targeting alleged militant camps in Afghanistan. Afghan officials reported that the strikes resulted in civilian casualties.
Express Tribune
07-02-2025
- Health
- Express Tribune
Hospitals ordered to improve administration, cleanliness
PESHAWAR: Health Advisor Ihtesham Ali has directed medical superintendents (MS) of government hospitals to prioritize administrative efficiency, conduct regular morning and evening rounds, and ensure cleanliness and proper monitoring of diagnostic centers. Following his continuous hospital visits, the Health Advisor has issued instructions to the MS, which the Directorate General of Health Services has formally communicated through a circular to all Category A, B, C, and D hospitals. The circular, based on the Health Advisor's recent inspections, mandates that all MS conduct supervisory rounds in different hospital departments twice dailymorning and evening. All hospital areas, including wards, OPDs, diagnostic centers, and washrooms, must be kept clean and well-maintained. MS must review patient admission and discharge registers to ensure accurate documentation according to DHIS-2 guidelines. Hospital bedding should be clean and properly maintained for patient comfort. Consultants, specialists, and medical officers must fulfill their assigned duties during both morning and evening shifts. The presence of nursing and paramedical staff must also be ensured. MS must monitor diagnostic sections to ensure efficient operations and accurate recording of test results. Outpatient services should be reviewed for efficiency, with proper documentation of patient examinations. Hospitals must remain ready for emergency services 24/7. Consultants must conduct rounds twice daily to address patient concerns effectively. MS must ensure adherence to government policies, maintain financial transparency in budget allocations and procurement, and enforce biometric attendance for all staff.
