TORKHAM BORDER: Khpal Walk Pakhtunistan movement patron in chief doctor Khan Baba along with his supporters and followers held a forty kilometers long walk from Bab-e-Khyber to recored their protest at Torkham border against the visa policy for Pashtuns living in Pakistan and Afghanistan.
Doctor Khan Baba and a few dozens of supporters started their walk from Bab-e-Khyber in Jamrud at 9am, they were holding banners and placards inscribed with slogans against the hard and fast visa policy for Pashtuns residing along sides of the border with Afghanistan.
Dr Khan and his supporters first reached Landikotal bazaar where residents warmly welcomed them and served cold drinks to the participants.
In a brief media talks in Landikotal Dr Khan Baba and Malik Ziarat Gul Mohmand said that the aim of the walk was to raise awareness among the Pashtun community about their rights. He said the main reason of the walk was to put pressure on the authorities to withdraw the visa condtion for the people residing along the border in Pakistan and Afghanistan. He said the time would prove that Pashtun will unite and would reject the durand land that had devided Pashtuns for decads. He said non of tribals both in Pakistan and Afghanistan accept durand line as the geographical border. He said Pakistan and Afghanistan must consider Pashuns population the loyal and respectable citizens.
Khan Baba said Pakistan should relax the border policies for their citizens so that they could smoothly travel across the border. He added that if Pashtuns were being pressed further the reaction could come out which would further make the relationship tense between Pakistan and Afghanistan.
Later the rally left for Torkham border where they gathered at Nadra Chowk in Zero point. Dr Khan Baba and Malik Ziarat Gul spoke to the people gathered.
Speakers said their peaceful movement for the Pashtuns’ right would be continue so that they could achieve their legal and constitutional rights. They demanded of the government to issue simple gate passes instead of passport and take back the visa condition for the border areas people. The movements supporters later dispersed peacefully.
