Ashrafuddin Pirzada
PESHAWAR: A delegation of Shinwari elders, elected members and traders met with Afghan Council General here in Peshawar and condoled over the tragic deaths of eight Afghan truckers who lost their lives in the Torkham landslide last week.
The delegation, led by Tehsil Chairman Shah Khalid Shinwari, also discussed various Torkham border and trade issues with the Afghan envoy, Hafiz Muhibullah.
Prominent Khugakhel Shinwari figures including Malik Tajudddin Shinwari, Haji Wakeel Shinwari, Najeeb Shinwari, Zakir Shinwari and Manzoor Shinwari were also part of the delegation.
Tehsil Chairman Shah Khalid formally condoled over the sad demise of eight Afghan citizens who lost their lives in the Torkham landslide incident last week. They also offered prayers for the departed souls of those involved in the Torkham incident.
Tehsil chairman Shah Khalid told The News on Friday that they requested the Emarat-e-Islami government in Afghanistan to resume the “Tribal Affairs Ministry,” which was closed after the Emarat-e-Islami takeover of Afghanistan. He said the scholarship quota for Pakistanis in medical and engineering universities in Afghanistan was suspended by the Taliban after their control over Afghanistan. He said a large number of ex-Fata and students from other parts of Pakistan were enrolled in medical and engineering universities in Afghanistan before the Taliban government. Shah Khalid said they demanded of the Afghan envoy that he take up the suspended scholarship issues with Kabul so that Pakistani citizens who want to pursue their education in Afghanistan could get the benefit of it.
The Afghan Council General was told that the Pakistan and Afghanistan governments had to compensate the millions of rupees in losses and announce support packages for the families of drivers and their helpers who died in the incident.
They also urged the Afghan Council General to raise the issue of the free movement of Pakistani and Afghan citizens living near the Torkham border on both sides.
Shah Khalid Shinwari said Pakistan should withdraw the visa condition for tribals to travel to Afghanistan. He said visas on arrival for Afghan citizens at the Torkham border could be overcome by the rush of people who wait for hours to get their travel documents cleared and proceed towards their destinations.
Wakeel Shinwari, who was also in the delegation, told The News that they stressed free trade activities via the Torkham border. He said they told the Afghan Council General that both Pakistan and Afghanistan must take steps to ease the lives of traders and transporters. He said they also demanded to reopen the markets closed at the Torkham border when the construction of the Torkham terminal started years before.
Afghan Council general Hafiz Muhibullah thanked tribal elders, elected members, and traders for their condolences and assured them to take up their demands with Emarat-e-Islami leaders in Kabul.
