…As Labourers and transporters protest in Torkham town
TORKHAM: Torkham border crossing,that was closed four days ago after situation went tense remained closed on Wednesday.
Several walks and peotest rally took place in Landikotal and Torkham arranged for the reopening of the busy border point between Pakistan and Afghanistan.
Officials said backdoor talks were continue with the Afghan authorities at various level but yet they were not sure that when Emarat-e-Islami could be convinced to reopen the border with Pakistan.
In the first rally, Labourers and transporters walked in the town and chanted slogans in the favour of free movement via Torkham border.
Labourers union president Farman Khan Shinwari custom agents association leader Qari Nazim Gul said that they want peace with Afghanistan. They said both countries were depended on each other and due to the border closure and have lost million of dollars in the past few days.
Farman said both the governments should resolve the issues through table talks. He sais war and conflict was the solution for any issue.
Meanwhile, traders, transporters, coaches drivers and civil society members also arranged a walk in Torkham. They were holding white flags and demanded the reopening oil the border.
They said Afghan gocernment must bring relaxation in its stance and talk to Pakistani counterparts. They said in the first phase Afghanistan must allow pedastrians so that the thousands of passengers waiting on both sides of the border could move to their distinations.
Torkham transporters union president Haji Azeemullah Shinwari said they could not afford the border closure. He said if Afghan government not reopened the border they would be compel to divert their businesses to other cities of Pakistan.
Meanwhile, hundreds of trucks loaded with different goods including vegetables and fresh fruits were seen parked on the Peshawar-Torkham road.
Afghan authorities had closed the border four days ago after Pakistan denied entery to an Afghan patient who was traveling to Peshawar for medical treatment. Later, Afghan border police traded gun fire in which a Pakistani border guard was also injured.
