Daily Times

KHYBER AGENCY: Transporters stuck at Torkham staged a protest demonstration here at Pak-Afghan sharing border on Thursday.

In aftermath of the fresh terrorist attacks in Pakistan, the authorities have been suspended the Torkham border for transporting commodities and vehicle movements. Dozens of drivers and cleaners while holding black flags chanting slogans in favor of their demands.

They were on the view that if they were not allowed to cross the border to Afghanistan than let them return to Karachi to unload the merchandise and transit goods.

Parked in Torkham parking lots for the last 21 days, the loaded trucks tires and engines ruined that was huge financial blow on them beside loss of trading commodities.

For the last three weeks we have been cooking our food by bring it from eight kilometers away from Landi Kotal as Torkham bazaar has been kept closed since the first day of the border suspension, they regretted. They lamented that cash money reserved for expenditure had expired and they were meeting their daily needs by borrowing from their colleagues drivers. They demanded of the authorities concerned to have mercy on them and forthwith address their problem to save them of serving their lives under an open sky. It is worth mentioning here that approximately 235 vehicles loaded with export and transit goods including cement, flour, potatoes, sugar, small machinery etc. have been stuck at Torkham border due to closing of the border.

Meanwhile, Torkham was sealed for indefinite time after resuming it for two days, border security official said on Thursday. The official said that 24140 stranded Afghan nationals having valid travelling documents crossed the border to Afghanistan while 850 Pakistani citizens came into Pakistan. He said that on Wednesday night at 10:00 pm, the border was closed for unknown period. It is to be stated here that the federal government announced resuming of Torkham and Chaman borders for 7 and 8 March to facilitate the stuck Afghan citizens.