Tribesmen stage protest against Afghan govt in SWA

 

Closure of Angoor Adda border

WANA: Thousands of tribesmen including traders on Thursday staged a protest and observed a shutter down strike in Wana and Angoor Adda bazaars in South Waziristan Agency against the closure of the Pak-Afghan border by the Afghan government.

The protesters led by Sardar Ali Wazir and Saidullah Wazir marched in Wana and Angoor Adda bazaars and chanted slogans against the Afghan authorities for closing the border

 for trade activities. They were holding banners and placards inscribed with slogans in favour of trade and business between Pakistan and Afghanistan.

Speaking on the occasion, Sardar Ali Wazir said the Afghan government should respect border management protocol set by the Pakistan government. He said border management was in favour of both the countries to block illegal movement of suspects across the border at Angoor Adda in South Waziristan.

Saidullah Wazir said local traders and businessmen were severely suffered due to the Afghan government decision to close down the border at Angoor Adda some two months ago. He said the Afghan authorities closed the border with Pakistan on May 20.

On the call of bazaar unions, thousands of local residents including traders observed shutter down strike in Wana and Angoor Adda bazaars. All the shops and markets remained closed for business to record their protest against the closure of the border by Afghan government.

Beside other goods, Pakistan export plums, apricots, tomatoes and apples to Afghanistan via Angoor Adda.After the intervention of the local administration, the traders ended their strike and dispersed peacefully.

An official of the political administration in Wana said the local traders and shopkeepers had suffered millions of rupees losses due to the closure of the Angoor Adda border crossing.It may be added that Pakistan had handed over the Angoor Adda border crossing infrastructure to the Afghan government as a gesture of goodwill following a complaint by Kabul that this had been built on Afghan territory. The unilateral step by Pakistan didn’t bring any change in the attitude of the Afghan government which soon afterwards closed the Angoor Adda border crossing and has yet to open it.