PESHAWAR: A key border crossingbetween Pakistan and Afghanistan remained closed for a thirdday, with thousands of goods vehicles stuck and businessesfacing losses as officials from both sides try to broker asolution.

Taliban authorities on Sunday closed Torkham, the main pointof transit for travellers and goods between Pakistan andlandlocked Afghanistan.

“The closure of the border crossing between Pakistan andAfghanistan has been causing losses to traders of the twocountries. There are long queues of heavy trucks stranded onboth sides of the border,” said Zia-ul-Haq Sarhadi, director ofthe Pakistan-Afghanistan Joint Chamber of Commerce and Industry.

He said up to 6,000 trucks loaded with goods had been stuckon both sides since Sunday.

The reason for the closure was not entirely clear, thoughofficials on both sides have said they were in discussions toresolve the issue. A provincial Taliban official told Reuters onMonday Pakistan had not lived up to its commitments to allowtransit, travellers and sick people seeking treatment to cross.

Pakistan’s government has not commented publicly on thematter. A Pakistani official source said they had not been toldthe reason ahead of the closure.

Sarhadi said Afghanistan relied on goods from Pakistan formuch of its needs and many trucks were also destined for CentralAsia using Afghanistan as a transit point.

“The traders and particularly those supplying fresh fooditems such as fruits, vegetables, are facing losses as trucksare stranded on the way for the past three days,” he said.He added some trucks had been diverted to another, smallerborder crossing, but traders were worried about the security oftruck drivers travelling to that region.

Residents had reported heavy gunfire on Monday morning nearthe Torkham border crossing, but the Taliban official had deniedany clashes and said the situation was under control.

Disputes linked to the 2,600 km (1,615 mile) border havebeen a bone of contention between the neighbours for decades.