Nearly 20,000 stranded Afghans and about 2,000 Pakistanis crossed back to their countries on Tuesday when Pakistan opened the border with Afghanistan for two days which was closed last month after a string of militant attacks. The crossings at Torkham in Khyber tribal region and Chaman in Balochistan province were opened to let those with valid documents to cross over.
12,549 people crossed over to Afghanistan at Torkham while 470 entered Pakistan from the neighbouring country, The Express Tribune quoted officials as saying. Another 6,848 Afghan citizens and 1,646 Pakistanis crossed back into their respective countries through the Friendship Gate at Chaman, a senior Federal Agency official said.