ANP wants to resolve Pak-afghan border closure issue without further delay: Darya Khan Afridi

24,000 Afghans managed to return Afghanistan via Torkham border in two days

By Ashraf Uddin Pirzada

TORKHAM BORDER: Awami National Party leader and prominent tribal elder Malik Darya Khan Zakhakhel on Wednesday urged Islamabad and Kabul to resolve their bilateral and security issues on negotiating table as traders and national exchequer have so far suffered billion of rupees losses in the past nineteen days due to the border closure.

Darya Khan said this while speaking to a press conference held here in Landikotal press club that most of the trade between Pakistan, Afghanistan and central Asian countries was being done by the tribal businessmen. He said due to inappropriate foreign policies a rift between Pakistani and Afghan nationals was increasing day by day.

Asking tribal elders to play their important role, Malik Darya Khan said tribal elders should come forward  to held talks with the Pakistani and Afghan representatives to help resolve the border closure issue.

Malik Darya Khan urged Pakistan and Afghanistan to keep maintained peace and bring development in the region. He said Islamabad and Kabul should first develop trust level and take serious steps in mutual cooperation against terrorism.

He said the time has come to jointly work against their common enemies and defeat terrorism with all its color and forms. He said Afghanistan and Pakistan should ensure it that their respective soils would not be used against each other.

Regarding the Indian involvement in terrorists activities in Pakistan, Darya Khan said that Pakistan should also stop business activities with India taking place via eastern border.

The ANP leader lauded Pakistan for reopening the Torkham border said that thousands of Afghan nationals have managed to return to their country. He requested the Prime Minister of Pakistan Nawaz Sharif and Chief of Army Staff Gen, Qamar Javed Bajwa to allow trade activities with Afghanistan.

Malik Darya Khan Zakhakhel welcomed the Jirga being constituted by the Pakistani parliament and said that it would take up the issue with the Afghan government. He said tribal elders and political parties leaders should be inducted as Jirga members so that they could play a birding role with the Afghan nationals.

Darya Khan said thousands of tribals daily wagers have lost their jobs due to the closure of the border with Afghanistan. He said depriving tribal traders and youth from their business and jobs tending them to go into the wrong hands. He said Afghan nationals consider Pakistan their second home and want good relation with their neighbors.

Meanwhile, the Torkham border was remained open on the second consecutive day to facilitate stranded Afghan citizens to go back to their country.

A senior security forces official told The News that the border  around 11,000 Afghans went back on the second day to Afghanistan. He said on the first day 12,500 legal Afghan nationals had went via Torkham border. The official said total 750 Pakistani nationals entered Pakistan via Torkham border during the last two days. He said the number could be increased in the coming hours as the border would be remained opened for late Wednesday hours to facilitate lagel Afghans on their return.

Extra security steps were taken on the Torkham border to avoid law and order situation,the official said.

However, trade acticities with Afghanistan was remained halted on the 20^th day. Hundreds of loaded and empty trucks were seen parked on the both sides of the Torkham border.