Daily Times

LANDIKOTAL: Civil society activists and workers of various political parties on Thursday demanded of the government to relax rules for traders, particularly time-consuming checkings at the Shaheed Mor Checkpost of the Torkham border.

Speaking to a monthly Meet-the-Press programme at the Landikotal Press Club, Awami National Party Landikotal President, Shah Hussain Shinwari, Tanzeem-e-Ahl-e-Sunnat leader, Shakir Afridi, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaaf leader, Abdur Raziq Shinwari, Pakistan People’s Party Khyber Agency President, Hazrat Wali Afridi and Khyber Youth President, Amir Afridi, alleged that the government was allegedly playing a game to deprive the locals of their businesses.

They said the so-called border management was not acceptable to them as it had been implemented on the tribal areas.

Shah Hussain said Afghanistan was a Muslim country and they did not want strict business rules with Afghan nationals.

He said Pakistani and Afghan traders had lost billions of rupees after the movement at Torkham border was restricted two months ago.

Shakir Afridi said, Afghanistan was passing through a difficult phase of war. He said that like the other countries, Pakistan should also relax the rules for Afghans as they were mostly dependent on the imports from Pakistan.

He said thousands of locals hailing from Khyber, Mohmand and Bajaur tribal regions, had lost their private businesses, due to the strict rules imposed during the last two months.

“Pakhtuns on both sides of the border are suffering and due to strict rules, Afghanistan and all the Central Asian States will divert their import and export to other neighbouring countries,” Shakir Afridi feared.

Amir Afridi lamented the alleged harsh attitude of personnel with those who cross the Shaheed Mor check-point. He said it was unnecessarily established at a distance of only one kilometre from the main Torkham border.

He said not only Afghan nationals had to pass from the check-post, but hundreds of local students and women also faced the checking and wastage of time while they were coming to Landikotal.

PTI leaders Abdur Raziq, Fakhruddin and Jamaat-e-Islami leader Murad Hussain Afridi, appealed to the high ups to take notice of the rigid attitude of FC personnel with the locals.