ANP says fencing on Afghan border did not achieve purpose

LANDIKOTAL: Awami National Party provincial president Aimal Wali Khan on Wednesday said that unnecessary restrictions on the Torkham border crossing not only created problems for the Afghans living on both sides but it dealt a severe blow to the trade valume with Afghanistan.

ANP provincial president, flanked by hundreds of party supporters, first reached Jamrud and then Landikotal, while crossing the hurdles and barricades placed by the authorties at various locations on the road to stop the ANP convoy from Peshawar.

Speaking to the public gathering at Bacha Khan Chowk in Landikotal, Aimal Wali Khan said his party always supported strong trade relations with Afghanistan. He said billions of rupees have been spent on various schemes at the Torkham border but trade with Afghanistan was gradually plummeting.

“Fencing on the border with Afghanistan is done but it could not achieve its purpose,” said Aimal. He added that Afghans were living on both sides of the border who suffered illogical restrictions imposed by Pakistani authorities to travel from and to Afghanistan.

He said his party was not opposing visa policy with Afghanistan but it should be made easy for Afghans to issue the visa without costing them a huge time and money.

The ANP leader said due to various reasons, the trade valume has been dropped from 75 per cent to 4 percent during the past few years that severely affected business communities across the border.

He said it was their right to record a protest against the restrictions on the border with Afghanistan and the alleged illegal occupation by National Logistic Cell (NLC) of public property.

ANP leader Shah Hussain Shinwari said the rally was planned at the Torkham border where they had to arrange a public rally against the illegal occupation on the public properties and illogical restriction on the border.

Local authorities had denied to issue NOC to ANP and blocked roads with containers and other heavy items at various spots on the Peshawar-Torkham road to block the protesting ANP workers and supporters.

Meanwhile, hundreds of passenger coaches and taxi cabs remained stranded on the road while extra police contingents had been deployed on all entry and exit points in the district.