Ashrafuddin Pirzada
LANDIKOTAL: The Pak-Afghan border at Torkham remained closed for the fifth consecutive day, causing huge losses to importers and exporters every day.
Torkham Customs Association president Mujeeb Khan Shinwari told Fata Voice News Agency that several rounds of talks between border officials of Pakistan and Afghanistan were held today(Monday). He said they also met with customs collector Moteen Alam, who was also part of the negotiation team with Afghan border officials.
Quoting custom collector Moteen Alam, Mujeeb Khan Shinwari said that they were hopeful to reopen the border today(Tuesday). He said Pakistani authorities have reached a consensus with Afghan officials regarding the border issue.
The customs association president said on average they export 2.5 million dollars in goods per day and import Rs540 million in goods from Afghanistan. He said not only traders were in losses but Pakistan and Afghan national exchequer were hitting a huge revenue loss.
Mujeeb said earlier the other day, the secretory commander Pakistan Army also met with a high official delegation that arrived from Kabul to help resolve the issue.
Trader Qari Nazeem Gul said that not only did trade suffer, but thousands of
pedestrians and labourers also suffer due to the border closure. He said around eight hundred labourers who were the breadwinner have also lost their jobs.
Qari Nazeem Gul appealed to both countries to resolve the issues through table talks. He said trade must be kept free from politics. He said patients with chronic diseases, including cancer, kidney, and other serious patients, must be permitted to travel to Pakistan on humanity grounds. He urged for free trade between Pakistan and Afghanistan.
