SECURITY — March 29, 2026
Around 200 Afghan Families Stranded in Pakistan's Khyber and Landi Kotal Amid Torkham Border Closure
Around 200 Afghan families are stranded in Pakistan's Khyber and Landi Kotal areas due to the Torkham border closure amid Pakistan-Taliban tensions. Qureshi Badlon, a Taliban official in Nangarhar, confirmed the shutdown after a brief reopening on the 6th of Hamal.
The Ehtebar Desk — originates with Afghanistan International — 2 min read
Around 200 Afghan families returning to Afghanistan are stranded in Pakistan's Khyber and Landi Kotal areas due to the closure of the Torkham border crossing.
The border remains shut amid tensions between Pakistan and the Taliban. Pakistan briefly reopened the Torkham crossing on the 6th of Hamal, allowing some returning migrants to pass, but closed it again after one day.
Qureshi Badlon, from the Information and Culture Directorate in Nangarhar province, stated that Pakistan has closed the Torkham border to all traffic.
The stranded families have reported hardships, including forcible evictions by Pakistani police from their homes. Many are now living on the streets near the border areas despite the crossing being inaccessible.
The closure follows a period of about a month during which the border was shut, exacerbating difficulties for Afghans seeking to return home. The situation has left hundreds of families in limbo on the Pakistani side, unable to proceed to Afghanistan.
Read the original reporting at Afghanistan International →
Reliability assessment
Single source with direct on-record attribution from named Taliban official Qureshi Badlon (Information and Culture Directorate in Nangarhar) confirming Torkham closure; includes concrete details like locations (Khyber, Landi Kotal, Torkham), timing (6th of Hamal), and migrant testimonies.
The source language mixes facts with framing or advocacy wording. Afghanistan International: Phrases like 'improper behavior of Pakistani security forces' (value judgment on actions), 'lives have become very difficult' (mild emotional framing of hardship), and 'forcibly evicting people from their homes' (advocacy phrasing emphasizing coercion) mix reporting with opinionated language.
Independent web corroboration
A separate web search returned 8 matching reports. A selection:
- Torkham crossing closed again | The Express Tribunetribune.com.pk
Sources said arrangements at a temporary holding camp in Landi Kotal had been completed to facilitate the repatriation process, and further deportations of illegally residing Afghan nationals were expected. The operation, however, has been suspended following the latest incident. The Torkham border had remained closed since February 24 amid tensions and intermittent clashes between Pakistani security forces and the operatives from the Taliban regime in Afghanistan.
- Torkham crossing closes again hours after brief reopening | Ariana News | Afghanistan Newsariananews.af
However, the crossing was closed again shortly afterward, leaving many travelers stranded. Officials say the reason for the sudden closure has not been clearly communicated by authorities in Pakistan. The Torkham crossing serves as one of the most important transit points between Afghanistan and Pakistan. Its repeated closures have caused significant disruption, particularly for migrants, traders, and families who rely on cross-border movement.
Torkham border crossing in northwest Pakistan was temporarily opened on Thursday for hundreds of Afghan refugees to go back home, officials said. "We have been stranded here for at least a month and a half," Zabi Ullah, an Afghan refugee ...
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Afghanistan International
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Security — Torkham, Khyber, Landi Kotal, Qureshi Badlon, Afghan migrants
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