Pakistan has allowed a United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) aid convoy to enter Afghanistan through the Torkham border crossing, granting a rare humanitarian exemption despite months of restrictions on cross-border movement amid heightened security tensions with Afghanistan.
Pakistani customs authorities on Monday issued gate passes for 26 containers carrying food and essential relief supplies after completing customs formalities, including Goods Declaration processing and electronic scanning. The convoy had remained at the Torkham import terminal while officials awaited final approval before authorising its onward movement.
The Torkham crossing, one of the busiest trade and transit routes linking Pakistan and Afghanistan, has remained largely closed to regular cross-border movement since October 2025 because of the deteriorating security situation along the border.
The latest clearance does not signal a reopening of the crossing but provides a limited humanitarian exemption to facilitate UN relief operations. Pakistan continues to serve as Afghanistan's primary overland transit route for international humanitarian assistance despite strained bilateral relations and tighter border controls.
The convoy's entry into Afghanistan, however, remains subject to approval from the Afghan authorities. Earlier this year, a similar WFP shipment of around 20 containers was returned to Karachi after it was not accepted by the Afghan authorities, underscoring the uncertainty surrounding humanitarian deliveries.
The clearance highlights Pakistan's continuing role in facilitating international humanitarian assistance to Afghanistan even as security concerns continue to shape border management policies.
According to the World Food Programme, Afghanistan remains one of the world's largest humanitarian operations, with 17.4 million people expected to require emergency food assistance this year. The latest convoy demonstrates that humanitarian coordination between Pakistan and international agencies continues despite political and security challenges, while its final delivery now depends on approval from the Afghan authorities.
Ukrainian drone strikes have hit two Yandex data centres in Russia on consecutive days, disrupting digital services as Kyiv intensifies attacks on ...
The U.S. has imposed sanctions on the International Criminal Court (ICC) on Friday (9 October) escalating ...
Uzbekistan has unveiled plans to deepen economic ties with Central Asia and Azerbaijan, proposing shared artificial intelligence infrastructure, a ...
Leaders of countries from the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) have agreed to hold coordinated population censuses around 2030. They took the decision at the CIS Council of Heads of State meeting in Awaza, Turkmenistan on Friday, media reported.
The Saudi-led coalition says it has carried out a series of military operations against Houthi targets in Yemen after attacks on two Saudi airports left three people dead and dozens injured.
Azerbaijan and the five Central Asian states have signed two key documents at the 8th Consultative Meeting of Heads of State in Turkmenbashi, formalising a broader framework for regional cooperation in transport, trade, energy, digitalisation and security.
It started with classrooms. Too many students, not enough teachers, deteriorating buildings and growing anxiety over what comes after high school. But within weeks, a movement that began outside French lycées had spread across the country.
Britain and Israel have reached a temporary compromise over the future of the British Consulate General in East Jerusalem, easing a diplomatic dispute that had threatened to further strain relations between the two countries.
Uzbekistan has unveiled plans to deepen economic ties with Central Asia and Azerbaijan, proposing shared artificial intelligence infrastructure, a critical minerals alliance and a regional trade strategy extending to 2035.
Leaders of countries from the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) have agreed to hold coordinated population censuses around 2030. They took the decision at the CIS Council of Heads of State meeting in Awaza, Turkmenistan on Friday, media reported.
Saudi Arabia has restored its vital East-West oil pipeline to near-full capacity, but escalating Houthi attacks on energy facilities, airports and transport infrastructure are raising fresh concerns over the security of its oil exports.
Here's your AnewZ Daily Brief for 9 October 2026 with five key developments from the CIS summit in Turkmenistan.
Saudi Arabia's civil aviation authority said on Friday that three Saudi nationals were killed and several people were injured in two attacks on King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh on Thursday (8 October).
You can download the AnewZ application from Play Store and the App Store.
What is your opinion on this topic?
Leave the first comment