By Ashrafuddin Pirzada
LANDIKOTAL: Political leaders, traders, labourers and civil society members on Wednesday staged a protest demonstration and rally at Bacha Khan Chowk in Landikotal Bazaar to record their protest against the closure of the Pak-Afghan Torkham border that disrupted life on both sides of the border.
The protest was attended by Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam (JUI) leader Mufti Muhammad Ijaz Shinwari, Chairman of the Torkham Customs Clearing Agents Association Mirajuddin Shinwari, President Torkham Custom Clearing Agents Association Mujeeb Shinwari, Jamaat-e-Islami leader Syed Muqtadar Shah Afridi, Pashtun Tahafuz Movement(PTM) Khyber coordinator Aftab Shinwari, Torkham labourers leader Farman Shinwari, customs clearing agent and social worker Qari Nazim Gul Shinwari, Maulana Hazratullah, Zar Shah Shinwari, President of the Azad Tribes Transport Union Iqbal Khan, Kaleemullah Shinwari and other tribal elders and residents.
The protesters were holding placards and banners inscribed with slogans for the peaceful resettlement of border issues. They also chanted slogans of “Open the border and war is destruction”.
The participants demanded that both Pakistan and Afghanistan resolve the issue through dialogue, saying that the people wanted peace, not war with their neighbouring country, Afghanistan.
“Both are Islamic countries and share close cultural and religious ties; therefore, the issue should be resolved through negotiations and traditional jirgas,” Mufti Muhammad Ijaz said. He urged the authorities of both countries to immediately reopen the Torkham border and all other crossing points for trade and pedestrian movement on both sides.
Mirajuddin Shinwari said that the prolonged border closure had stranded hundreds of Afghan families returning to Afghanistan, causing them immense hardship. He said that thousands of loaded and empty trucks remained stuck on both sides of the border, leading to heavy financial losses for transporters, drivers and traders. The closure, he said, had rendered thousands of customs clearing agents, labourers and daily wage earners jobless and forced many into extreme poverty.
The protesters also condemned, in strong terms, the recent statement of Pakistan’s Defence Minister Khawaja Asif about possible military action against Afghanistan. They urged him to refrain from issuing such inflammatory remarks, emphasizing that war would only bring destruction and loss for both nations.
“We seek peace, reconciliation and brotherhood between Pakistan and Afghanistan,” Mujeeb Shinwari said.
The speakers proposed forming a peace jirga comprising tribal elders and political leaders from both sides to mediate and find a lasting solution to the issue, recalling that similar jirgas had previously played a key role in reducing cross-border tensions.
The participants warned that if the border was not reopened for trade and pedestrian movement within a few days, elders and residents from all tribes of Khyber district would stage a permanent sit-in on the Pak-Afghan highway.
It may be added here that all the border points were closed with Afghanistan for all kinds of movements, including trade activities, after Afghanistan launched attacks on Pakistan’s border posts at various locations on October 11 this month.
