Pakistan reopens its third major trade route with Afghanistan

Pakistan has reopened a major trade route with Afghanistan, the Ghulam Khan pass after four years.

Authorities had closed Ghulam Khan border crossing in 2014, after the launch of military operation in North Waziristan. The military launched its Zarbe Azb operation against the outlawed Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP).

A political administration officer said that the route was opened in April on a trial basis. It will be operational for trade from Wednesday, Anadolu Agency reported.

"All the militants' hideouts have been destroyed and now the area is completely secured," he added.

Pakistan's army claims that 95 percent of the area is now militant-free.

On Monday, Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi along with Army chief General Qamar Javed Bajwa travelled to North Waziristan agency. They ordered the formal resumption of trade activities on the route.

The decision was taken last month, when Abbasi and Afghan President Ashraf Ghani met in Kabul to discuss various issues including the fall in bilateral trade to half over the last two years.