Torkham Border Reopens — But Only for Deportation of Undocumented Afghans

Pakistan reopened the Torkham border crossing for the first time since February 26, but exclusively for the deportation of undocumented Afghan nationals. The opening was not for trade or general movement. Approximately 220 undocumented Afghans were processed and deported in the initial phase. Afghan Taliban border police did not immediately confirm or comment on the opening. The deportation-only reopening signaled Pakistan's intent to use Afghan expulsions as a pressure instrument alongside military operations — a continuation of its 2023-2024 policy of mass deportations. Pakistan had been holding hundreds of Afghans in temporary detention centers pending border access.