Protest at Landikotal seeks border reopening

LANDIKOTAL: Political leaders, transporters, Customs clearing agents, traders, labourers, and residents staged a protest at Landikotal Bazaar’s Bacha Khan Chowk on Sunday, urging both Afghanistan and Pakistan to resolve the issues through dialogue and reopen the border without further delay.

The protesters held banners and placards and chanted slogans for peace and the reopening of border crossings with Afghanistan.They demanded the immediate resumption of trade and pedestrian movement between the two countries. Protesters called on Pakistan and Afghanistan to settle the matter through negotiations and open the border from both sides.

They appealed for goodwill measures to allow stranded Pakistani transporters, drivers, and citizens stuck on the Afghan side of Torkham to return home through the border crossing.Addressing the demonstration, political leaders and tribal elders warned that if the border was not reopened promptly, they would launch a protest and sit-in that would continue until their demands were met.

Leaders of various political and trader groups attended the protest, including Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam’s Mufti Muhammad Ijaz Shinwari, tehsil chairman Shah Khalid Shinwari, Torkham Customs Clearing Agents Association Chairman Mirajuddin Shinwari, Torkham Customs Agents Association President Mujeeb Shinwari, Banaras Shinwari, Maulana Aqib Darwaish, Zar Shah Shinwari, Maulana Azmat, Maulana Syed Ahmed Banoori, Qari Nazim Gul Shinwari and others.

Speaking on the occasion, Mirajuddin Shinwari said that fresh fruits purchased by Pakistani traders had rotted in Afghanistan due to the prolonged border closure.He said the closure of the border had not only affected traders but had also left local youth and poor daily wagers jobless.

Mirajuddin Shinwari said the prolonged border closure could push hundreds of youth towards illegal activities, leading to more problems.He warned of a bigger protest at the Torkham border if the crossing was not reopened within three days. Mufti Ejaz Shinwari said closing the border was not the right step, as many bazaars and markets in Pakistan had been closed due to the unavailability of fresh fruits and vegetables imported from Afghanistan.