Khyber [Pakistan], March 20 (ANI): The body of an Afghan national, which had been lying at Zero Point (Iran-Pakistan border) along the Torkham border for several days, was handed over to Afghan authorities on Thursday by a delegation of local tribal elders, Dawn reported.

The development comes a day after Pakistan announced a 'temporary pause' in its ongoing Operation Ghazab lil-Haq against the Afghan Taliban, citing Eid-ul-Fitr and requests from 'brotherly Islamic countries'.

According to Dawn, local residents had initially spotted the body and recorded videos, later informing security officials about the situation.

A group of tribal elders -- including Malak Tajuddin, Mufti Ejaz, Shah Khalid, Qari Jihad Shah, Qari Nazeem Gul and Saeed Khan -- subsequently visited the Torkham border to retrieve the remains, Dawn reported.

Speaking to Dawn, Shah Khalid said the delegation had maintained contact with Pakistani security officials and Afghan representatives over the past week despite the prevailing security challenges.

He said Afghan authorities had confirmed on March 13 that the deceased was an Afghan national working as a daily wage labourer. However, the retrieval was delayed due to extended consultations among Afghan officials.

Khalid noted that the elders persisted in their efforts, urging authorities on both sides to facilitate the recovery and burial of the body without further delay, as per Dawn.

According to Dawn, he said that with a 'temporary pause' in Operation Ghazab Lil Haq, they made efforts again, demanding that local authorities allow them to retrieve the body and hand it over to the authorities in Afghan.

'Our requests were finally accepted, and we were allowed to retrieve the body and hand it over to Afghan authorities on purely humanitarian grounds,' he added.

He further said the body was in an advanced state of decomposition, which made it difficult for the delegation to place it in a coffin during the transfer, Dawn reported. (ANI)