Torkham border’s closure protested in Khyber Agency

LANDIKOTAL: Hundreds of Customs clearing agents, shopkeepers, traders and political parties’ leaders and workers on Saturday staged a protest in the Landikotal bazaar, asking Pakistan and Afghanistan to reopen the border.

The clearing agents union had organised the protest, which was also joined by shopkeepers, traders and leaders of the various political parties.

Holding placards and banners, they marched from the Bacha Khan Chowk in Landikotal Bazaar and gathered outside the press club.

Speakers, including Torkham customs clearing agents’ union president Hayatullah Shinwari, chairman Merajuddin Shinwari, PPP Khyber Agency president Hazrat Wali Afridi, JI Landikotal ameer Murad Hussain Afridi and Mujeeb Khan Shinwari condemned the closure of the border.

They said that edibles worth billions of rupees in the loaded trucks had perished during the last one month.

Hayatullah said it was a conspiracy against Pakistan to hit its economy in different ways and means. He said that 30,000 daily wagers lost their jobs due to the closure of the border.

The speakers criticised two brothers and parliamentarians, MNA Shahji Gul Afridi and Senator Taj Muhammad Afridi, and said that they were not taking up the border closure issue on the floor of parliament.

They appealed to Pakistani and Afghan governments to resolve their differences through table talks and restore trade and business ties without wasting more time and money.