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.
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