The office of Arezo TV in Kabul granted permission on Saturday to resume operations by the Ministry for the Propagation of Virtue and the Prevention of Vice after a nearly three-month suspension.

Saif-ul-Islam Khyber, the spokesperson for the Ministry of Vice and Virtue, stated that the Islamic Emirate is committed to supporting media and freedom of expression in Afghanistan based on Islamic and national values.

Meanwhile, several officials from media support organizations have emphasized the role of media in enlightening society and called on the government to support media and freedom of expression.

“We thank the Islamic Emirate for its policy of supporting free media in Afghanistan and urge all officials within the Islamic Emirate to continue their full cooperation with Arezo TV as before.” Said Hujatullah Mujaddidi, head of Afghanistan Independent Journalists Association.

Officials from Arzo TV expressed their satisfaction with the resumption of the channel’s operations in Kabul and stressed that Arezo TV, as an independent and free media outlet, will continue its activities as it did in the past.

“During today’s meeting with the Ministry of Virtue and Vice, we explained that Arezo TV has always been a neutral and independent media outlet. Our commitment to neutrality and providing accurate and transparent information remains unchanged. Based on this, we have resumed our operations in Kabul,” said Basir Abed, the head of Arezo TV.

This development comes after the Ministry of Information and Culture recently granted permission for the resumption of operations to Radio Jawanan and Begum as well.

The Ministry of Commerce and Industry spokesman Abdul Salam Jawad Akhundzada says Pakistan’s closure of the Torkham crossing violates all international trade laws and causes harm to the traders and citizens of both countries.

Jawad Akhundzada stated that if Pakistan’s obstacles to economic activities continue, it may further damage the economic relations between the two countries, emphasizing that the ministry is working to resolve this issue through dialogue with Pakistan.

“Once again, we are witnessing the closure of the Torkham crossing, which has blocked our trade and transit routes. This harms both our traders and citizens, as well as those of Pakistan,” he said.

He added, “We hope that Pakistan will reconsider this issue and take steps to resolve it fundamentally, ensuring that this route is not closed by them again.”

Meanwhile, officials from the Afghanistan-Pakistan Joint Chamber of Commerce have stated that trade and transit between Kabul and Islamabad, including all economic activities, have been politicized by Pakistan, increasing trade challenges between the two countries.

The officials also noted that if Islamabad continues to create such problems, Afghan traders may end their trade and economic relations with Pakistan.

Khan Jan Alokozai, the head of the Afghanistan-Pakistan Joint Chamber of Commerce, said, “Currently, with the route closed, Pakistan is suffering significant losses. Hundreds of trucks carrying goods such as fruits, onions, potatoes, and tomatoes pass through this crossing, all of which are now halted, causing them losses.”

“I believe that if this situation continues, both transit and trade with Pakistan will end,” he said.

However, members of the private sector stated that Afghanistan has already diverted 70 percent of its transit from Pakistan to other routes. They warn that if Pakistan continues to create obstacles to economic activities, trade between the two countries will soon drop to zero.

It has been over a week since Pakistan closed the Torkham crossing to all traffic, leaving thousands of freight carriers loaded with commercial goods stranded on both sides of the border.

Friedrich Merz, who is projected to become Germany’s next chancellor, has been cautious about the debate about European troops in Ukraine after the peace deal.

“We have learnt that you should not go anywhere if you do not know how to get out. We have to learn from the experience in Afghanistan,” he said in an interview.

Some European leaders have proposed sending European troops to Ukraine as part of a peace deal with Russia.

Moscow, however, has rejected the proposal.