In a significant development for regional humanitarian efforts, Pakistan has agreed to reopen its border crossings for United Nations aid shipments destined for Afghanistan. This decision, reported by Pakistan's Dawn newspaper on Thursday, December 4, 2025, marks the first controlled resumption of transit activity after nearly two months of a complete border shutdown.
A Border Sealed by Conflict
The roots of this closure trace back to October 11, 2025, when military clashes between Pakistani and Afghan forces prompted Islamabad to seal all transit routes. This action brought routine trade between the two neighbouring nations to an abrupt standstill, stranding hundreds of cargo trucks and severely impacting cross-border commerce.
The recent breakthrough came following discussions between Pakistani authorities and the UN Resident Coordinator in Pakistan. An official letter was subsequently issued to the Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) and the Directorate General of Transit Trade, instructing them to facilitate the movement of humanitarian goods belonging to three UN agencies.
Phased Approach for Critical Supplies
The reopening is strictly limited to humanitarian assistance and is not a restoration of normal trade. According to the official directive, the movement of aid will proceed in a carefully managed three-stage process.
The first phase will focus on food security. A total of 143 containers of essential supplies will be allowed passage. This includes 67 containers of food assistance from the World Food Programme (WFP), 74 containers of children's supplies from UNICEF, and two containers of healthcare and family-support items from UNFPA.
The second phase will cover shipments of medicine and medical equipment, while the third phase will permit the transit of items intended for education services. All consignments will cross through the key border points at Torkham and Chaman.
Economic and Human Impact of the Closure
The nearly two-month suspension had consequences far beyond diplomatic tensions. It crippled the livelihoods of countless truck drivers and customs workers in the border towns of Chaman and Torkham. Dawn reported that at least 495 vehicles were queued up waiting to cross, with a majority of 412 stranded at Chaman and the remaining 83 held up at Torkham.
In November, Pakistan had partially reopened the Torkham border crossing to allow Afghan refugees to return to their homeland. However, transit cargo remained stuck until this latest decision concerning UN aid.
While this controlled reopening offers a glimmer of hope for addressing the dire humanitarian needs in Afghanistan, it underscores the fragile state of Pakistan-Afghanistan relations. The path to a full normalization of trade and transit remains uncertain, hinging on diplomatic and security developments between the two nations.
