Torkham and Spin Boldak gates re-opened on Tuesday morning for traffic a month after Islamabad closed the crossings between Afghanistan and Pakistan.

However, Pakistani traders at the gates criticized their government for having taken the decision and said Pakistan had been badly affected by the move.

Abbas, the owner of a Pakistani transportation company, said Islamabad’s decision had cost logistics companies dearly.

“We have lost lots of money due to the border closure. You know that we lost lots of money when the border was closed for just one day, but this closure lasted more than one month and all the traders are unhappy,” he said.

“We were stopped in Afghanistan for one month and five days and suffered a lot. Now we have nothing,” said Majid, a Pakistani driver.

“Look, the vegetables and fruit that were in the trucks stopped in Pakistan are rotten and it is because of Pakistan government’s decision,” said Mohammad Nabi, a traveler at Spin Boldak gate.

A number of Afghan traders also said they have suffered severe losses and urged the Afghan government to take steps to prevent such moves in future.

“Four trucks full of flour from our company were stopped in Pakistan. On Tuesday morning when we looked at the flour, all was spoiled and we had to send the trucks back to Pakistan,” said Khan Rahman, from one Afghan trading company.

“Government should not allow the border to be closed again, otherwise we will stop all our business with Pakistan,” said Roshan, a representative from another Afghan company.

As trucks started moving through the gates on Tuesday, hundreds of travelers were also able to cross through the gates in order to return to their home countries.

This comes after Pakistan’s Prime Minister Nawar Sharif ordered the gates to be re-opened on Monday following a month of closure.