KHYBER: Scores of political activists, transporters, traders, Customs clearing agent, labourers and representatives of local organisations held a protest demonstration against the prolonged closure of Torkham border in Landi Kotal on Wednesday.

Held at Bacha Khan Chowk, the demonstration was addressed by Mirajuddin, Muqtadir Shah, Shahid Shinwari, Wali Mohammad, Qari Nazeemgul, Aftab Ahmad and others. They termed the closure of Torkham border an economic murder of the people affiliated with bilateral trade and other manual jobs.

They said that the weeklong closure of the border deprived hundreds of poor labourers and daily wagers of their only sources of income while confronting their families with possible starvation. They said that workers were already hit hard by hike in prices of daily commodities.

The speakers said that alongside huge financial losses to the traders and transporters on both sides of the border, pedestrian movement of ordinary citizens of Pakistan and Afghanistan had also been badly affected by the closure of border.

They said that scores of elderly people, patients, women and children were impatiently waiting on both sides in unbearable heat for the last eight days for reopening of the border.

They called upon the leaders of both the countries to sit together and find a negotiated solution to the border security issues as such incidents were badly harming relations between the two neighbouring countries.

Amid slogans for peace and restoration of trading activities at the Torkham border, the speakers said that an indefinite protest sit-in would be staged at the Zero Point if the border crossing was not reopened within two days.

Meanwhile, Landi Kotal chapter of Khudai Khidmatgar and Awami National Party distributed food among the stranded Afghans in Landi Kotal on Wednesday.

Published in Dawn, September 14th, 2023