PESHAWAR: Pakistan Peoples Party has submitted a resolution in the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) Assembly against the closure of the Torkham Border on Monday.
The resolution, tabled by the PPP Member of Provincial Assembly Ahmad Kundi, called for reopening of the Torkham border. The Torkham border has been closed for all types of traffic since February 21.
In his resolution, he urged the provincial government to recommend the matter to the central government and take immediate steps to restore the border.
Ahmad Kundi, who is also parliamentary leader of the PPP in the house, said that reopening the Torkham border is essential to resume trade and traffic between Pakistan and Afghanistan. He highlighted that the ongoing closure has led to significant losses for traders, transporters, and the national economy.
The Pak-Afghan Torkham border has been closed for 17 days
The Torkham border crossing between Pakistan and Afghanistan remained closed for bilateral trade activities and pedestrian traffic for the 17th consecutive day, causing billions of rupees in losses.
The Torkham border connecting Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province of Pakistan with Afghanistan’s Nangarhar province has been closed since February 21 over disputed construction near the zero point on the Afghanistan side.
This has left hundreds of trucks and heavy vehicles stranded in long queues, and hundreds of passengers are also stranded on both sides of the border at Torkham.
The second round of the ‘loya jirga’ of Afghanistan and Pakistan delegations will be held today to find out ways of reopening the border. The first-round talks between the delegations of both nations were held on Sunday.
The Jirga agreed to maintain peace between the two countries and expressed mutual consent. The Afghan Jirga members have sought time to discuss the issues under discussion with the Afghan authorities. A session will be held tomorrow on the call of the Afghan Jirga.
Pak-Afghan security forces also traded heavy firing for three days, in which eight FC personnel were injured while three Afghan forces personnel were killed.
