Daily Times

KHYBER AGENCY: Abdul Hakeem 38 a resident of Landi Kotal said, “I even do not earn the daily expenditures at my shop for the last 12 days as my cloth business has greatly been suffered”.

Abdul Hakeem is a cloth merchant at Landi Kotal bazaar, whose business like other shopkeepers was being affected after suspension of movement on Pak-Afghan Torkham border. The Afghan nationals residing near Torkham border used to come to Landi Kotal on daily basis and taking cloths to their homes but now they do not come here, he added. The clearance agents and traders engaged in their businesses at Torkham border were buying daily use commodities and other items at Landi Kotal bazaar but right now those people have confined to their homes, he explained.

Though, the blockade of Torkham border has not only suffered the traders, custom clearance agents, handcart pushers and others but it has also left severe impact on shopkeepers in Landi Kotal bazaar, some seven kilometer away from Torkham bordering area. “I used to sell groceries of around Rs 150, 00 per day as it has reduced to Rs 5000 after suspension of Torkham border” regretted Ikramullah, a vegetable seller at Landi Kotal bazaar. Local tribesmen were unable to buy groceries in bazaar as they were also suffered, he added.

The vegetables and fruits, are getting rotten due to less numbers of customers and the same thing causes monetary losses to groceries shopkeepers, he stated.

As the busy Landi Kotal bazaar shows a deserted look and all economic activities have been reduced to 75 per cent from 100 per cent after the Pakistani authorities announced sealing Pak-Afghan Torkham border, said Lal Rahim, president of traders union at Landi Kotal bazaar

“The wave of unemployment, robberies and uncertainly will prevail owing to lack of monetary activities in Landi Kotal bazaar” remarked Rahim. The recent tension on Torkham border will certainly enhance frustration among the local tribesmen, he added. However, he also informed that people living on both sides of border come to bazaar and take luggage.

Regarding the 1700 shops in Landi Kotal bazaar, president said all most all shopkeepers on one way or other have been affected and these shopkeepers have deep connections with movements of people and vehicles on Torkham border. After the wave of fresh terrorists attacks in Lahore and Sehwan in Sindh, the Pakistani high-ups announced to seal down Pak-Afghan Torkham border along with Chaman border in Quetta, Ghulam Khan, Angoor Adda and Khar Lachi in Kurram Agency to avoid any mishap. As the closure of borders entered into 12th day.