3 Afghan children die of cold at Torkham

JALALABAD (PAN): Three sick Afghan children died of severe weather conditions Friday at the Torkham border-crossing after Pakistani security guards blocked the gate, officials said.

Afghan families had brought the children for treatment to northwest Pakistani city of Peshawar.  The ailing children below the age of 10 years succumbed to severe cold at the dry port, said Idrees Momand, first zone border police spokesman in eastern Nangarhar province.

 Momand told Pajhwok Afghan News when they contacted Pakistani forces about the closure of the gate, they said the orders had come from Islamabad, the Pakistani capital.

“Thousands of people are stranded on both sides of the border. L lives of many people are in danger due to the very cold weather and rain,” a shopkeeper at the port, Aslam, said.

myn/ma

Visits: 3