DLP Report
PESHAWAR
Fruit and vegetable traders organized a protest demonstration in the provincial capital on Wednesday against the prolonged closure of the Torkham border.
The demonstrators closed both sides of the main GT Road for long hours and chanted slogans against the provincial government and relevant authorities for failing to open the business activities on the Torkham Border.
Carrying placards, they said that it has been 46 days since the business point with Afghanistan is closed causing billions of rupees losses to vendors and traders associated with the business of fruit and vegetable on both sides of the border.
The Torkham border is the primary crossing point between Pakistan and Afghanistan, serving as the busiest trade route. However, for the past four days, the border has remained closed, disrupting the entire border trade and impacting the income of numerous families.
The bilateral trade had come to an abrupt halt on August 21 when hundreds of Kukikhel tribesmen blocked the main Peshawar-Torkham Highway in Bhagiyarree area demanding an immediate return of over 6,000 remaining displaced families of their tribe to Rajgal and adjoining areas in Tirah Valley.
However, authorities have allowed other vehicles to use an unpaved dirt road, which runs parallel to the main road in a dry stream in Bhagiyarree.
Frustrated with the prolonged road closure, a number of truckers used the alternate Shalman-Malagori and Ali Masjid-Jabba routes to take the stranded goods, mostly perishable ones, to Peshawar.
