Afghanistan shuts Angoor Adda border crossing

The Afghan authorities have closed the Angoor Adda border crossing in South Waziristan after it was handed over to them.

The neighbouring country also claimed about 10 km inside Pakistan as its territory and demanded its control, reports Dawn.

The border closure has caused great inconvenience to thousands of people, including women and children, who have found themselves stranded in the scorching heat amid hundreds of truck and trailers loaded with goods disallowed by the Afghan authorities to cross the border.

The border has been closed till further orders from Kabul, an Afghan diplomatic official said, adding the country's forces now guard the crossing round-the-clock.

Pakistan handed over the contentious Angoor Adda border crossing in South Waziristan to the Afghan authorities earlier on Saturday.

The Inter-Services Public Relations called the move a "strategic intent to improve border management".

The gesture was envisioned to bring momentum to the establishment of peace and stability along the Pak-Afghan border.

More than five-decade-old border crossing facility at Angoor Adda, around 35 km off South Waziristan's regional headquarters of Wana, has been a bone of contention between the two countries ever since it was built nearly an year ago.

The gate and compound were manned by the Pakistan Army personnel until recently.

The recent accord between the two sides brought relief to a large extent to the people on both sides of border, but the closure has faded all their hopes away.