A veteran political leader from Pakistan’s northwestern Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province has called for the immediate reopening of the Torkham crossing.
Qaumi Watan Party (QWP) Chairman Aftab Ahmad Khan Sherpao issued the call on Tuesday when the major crossing between Pakistan and Afghanistan remained close for the fourth consecutive day.
Trades on both sides of the Durand Line were suffering huge losses due to the closure of the Torkham gate, noted Sherpao, who has also served as Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s chief minister.
Addressing a gathering of party workers at his ancestral village, he stressed the need for lifting the blockade to save businessmen and transporters from suffering further losses.
Both sides should hold talks on addressing bilateral irritants, Sherpao suggested, warning a continued deadlock could stoke tensions between the neighbours.
While lamenting the falling trade volume between Afghanistan and Pakistan, he urged Islamabad to boost business activities between the two countries.
Enforcing visa and passport conditions for Afghan truck drivers and helpers, Pakistan shut the crossing for all sorts of cargo traffic on Saturday.
In a tit-for-tat response, Afghan border police personnel also imposed similar curbs on Pakistani truck drivers. As a consequence, cargo traffic has been suspended for the past four days.
Hundreds of trailers and containers loaded with export goods, including cement, tractors, vegetables and fresh fruits, have been stranded on both sides.
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