Stranded Afghans finally allowed to return.

Byline: Ibrahim Shinwari

LANDI KOTAL -- The Pakistani authorities finally allowed nearly 4,000 Afghan nationals to go back to their country via Torkham border on Wednesday.

The stranded waited in extremely trying conditions near the border for five days before they were allowed to go home. Most of them including ailing women and children had been staying in two mosques in Landi Kotal Bazaar, commercial buildings and even abandoned railway tunnel near Torkham.

The Afghan nationals had either come to Pakistan for treatment or were employed with construction companies in different cities of Punjab and Islamabad.

Officials at Torkham border said that majority of the Afghans had no legal travel documents but they were allowed to go back to their country without undergoing any proper immigration process.

Local police and border forces arranged process of their return in an organised manner to avoid rush and congestion at the border crossing.

Nearly 4,000 Afghan nationals cross Torkham border

The returning Afghans were made to sit in groups, observing the social distancing as per anti-coronavirus standing operating procedures and then were allowed to cross the border in a disciplined manner.

The Khyber tribal district administration, however, was not given any prior intimation about the 'deportation' of the stranded Afghans. Officials said that no formal announcement was made about their return for Wednesday nor was the district...