Tribal elders demand reopening of Pak-Afghan border for transport

PARACHINAR: Elders from Pakistan and Afghanistan tribes near Kurram Agency demanded opening of the countries’ borders in a jirga held on Wednesday.

They demanded that the border should be opened to provide some relief to the traders and those in the transport industry.

The demand was made during a jirga, which was attended by Haji Awan Ali, Haji Nauroz Ali, Malik Nasir Hussain and Malik Jahangir, Humanyun Khan from Afghanistan among others.

The border has been closed for transport and trading since February 16, this year, due to which traders and people are facing difficulties, they pointed out.

Vehicles loaded with cargo are waiting for the border to open. The equipment in the trucks is lying vacant and deteriorating with time, which is causing traders loss of millions of rupees.

They appealed that the Chaman and Torkham borders should be opened soon. In order to get their demands heard, they resolved to contact Kurram Agency political authorities, security forces and the Governor.

They also decided to make the authorities aware of the countless problems hovering over the people due to the closure of the border

On the other hand, the political authorities said that the border has been closed due to security reasons. The border will be opened after the approval of higher authorities, they added.

While speaking at the jirga, Humayun pointed that there no hospitals near their area due to which the tribal people have to take the patients to Parachinar. However, as the border has been closed people are also facing difficulties because of it.

Masaib Hussain remarked that traders have incurred billions of rupees loss due to the closure of the border and demanded that the border should be opened soon.

Speaking to the media, 25-year-old Abdullah and Zahir Hussain that the closure of the border has rendered them jobless adding to their problems.

The border between Pakistan and Afghanistan was closed on February 16, following a series of back-to-back attacks in the country, in which more than a 100 people lost their lives.

The border was closed due to security concerns and non-cooperation by Afghan authorities regarding devising an effective border management mechanism.

The borders at both the points — in Chaman area of Balochistan and Torkham in Khyber Agency — were opened 18 days later but only for travellers on foot, and not for vehicles.