KHYBER: Around 70 medical students, who had been stranded in Afghanistan since the closure of the Torkham border, returned home late on Saturday evening. Family members of the students said their academic sessions at various medical institutions in Afghanistan had ended a few weeks ago and they were eager to return to their cities. They said the students had reached the Afghan side of the Torkham border a few days earlier but were not allowed to cross into Pakistan due to restrictions on pedestrian movement that have been in place since October last year. According to their relatives, the students contacted several local elders and political leaders to facilitate their return. Sherin Khan Afridi, senior vice president of the Awami National Party (ANP) in Khyber district, played a key role in securing their return. The matter was taken up with government authorities and political leaders in Islamabad by Awami National Party leaders. Following official instr­uctions from Islamabad, the stranded students were allowed to cross the border into Pakistan. Upon their arrival at the Torkham border crossing, the students were received by border authorities and a delegation of Awami National Party workers led by Sherin Afridi. The students were later provided transport to their respective destinations after being served food and refreshments by the border authorities. Published in Dawn, July 13th, 2026