Pakistan closes key border crossing with Afghanistan amid security threats

Pakistan has temporarily closed a key border crossing with Afghanistan due to security threats, until further notice, officials said on Sunday.

The Ghulam Khan border has been closed after Saturday's suicide attack in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa's North Waziristan district and skirmishes in the province, bordering Afghanistan, a senior Pakistani security official said.

"Following the attack, a curfew has been imposed in North Waziristan, and the border (Ghulam Khan) has been shut down for an unspecified period, he said.

At least 13 security personnel were killed and three others injured in the suicide attack.

Abidullah Farooqi, spokesperson for the Interim Afghan Government's Border Forces, confirmed the closure on Sunday, stating that Pakistani authorities have not provided a clear explanation for the move.

Pakistani officials have merely instructed vehicles at the crossing to use alternative routes, Farooqi said in a statement.

In a separate press release, the provincial administration of Khost province of Afghanistan said officials at the Ghulam Khan crossing were informed by Pakistani authorities on Saturday evening that the route would be temporarily closed due to ongoing security threats.

The statement further noted that no specific timeline has been provided for the reopening of the border, and the closure will remain in effect until further notice.

The Ghulam Khan crossing, located in Khost province, is a critical trade and transit point between the two countries, particularly for goods travelling to and from Pakistan's North Waziristan region.

Afghan authorities have urged citizens, traders, and travellers to avoid the route and instead use other crossings, such as Torkham or Spin Boldak, until the situation is resolved.