Pakistan Reopens Border to Allow UN Aid into Afghanistan

Pakistan will temporarily reopen parts of its border with Afghanistan to allow United Nations humanitarian supplies to enter, officials said Monday, marking the first partial easing of the closure imposed after deadly clashes between the two countries in October.

A Pakistani government official told AFP that Islamabad approved a limited humanitarian exemption following formal UN requests. The shipments, to be delivered in three stages, will include food, medicines, medical equipment, and other essential supplies for health and education.

A UN official confirmed that aid deliveries into Afghanistan would resume soon. However, the head of the information department in Afghanistan’s Spin Boldak district near a major border crossing said he had no details yet, adding that access to the frontier remains closed.

The border has been shut since October, except for the expulsion of Afghans ordered to leave Pakistan. Islamabad stressed that the reopening applies only to humanitarian operations, not to trade or migration. The Pakistani official noted that the border will remain closed for commerce and regular crossings.

The closure left dozens of Afghan trucks stranded, some carrying perishable food that spoiled, after border fighting on 12 October killed dozens and was followed by a fragile ceasefire. According to the joint Pakistan-Afghanistan Chamber of Commerce and Industry, the shutdown caused more than $100 million in trade losses and affected up to 25,000 border-area workers.

Pakistan is Afghanistan’s largest trading partner, supplying rice, medicines, and raw materials to its landlocked neighbor. In return, Pakistan buys 45 percent of Afghan exports, World Bank data from last year shows.

The two countries have faced repeated border flare-ups since 2021, with Islamabad accusing Kabul of harboring militants who carry out attacks inside Pakistan, a claim Afghan authorities deny.

A new round of talks failed this week to resolve the tensions, though both sides agreed to maintain the ceasefire. Afghan and Pakistani officials said delegations included representatives from Pakistan’s military, intelligence services, and foreign ministry.

The ceasefire continues to hold despite efforts in Istanbul last month failing to produce a long-term agreement.