GHALANAI, Sept 1: Trade and business activities in local bazaars have been badly affected due to closure of border route between Pakistan and Afghanistan for the past four years.

Traders told Dawn here on Sunday that the closure of the route had hit businesses in Mian Mandi, Lakaro, Mamad Gat, Ghazi Baig, Atta, Chanda, Ghalanai and Ekkaghund markets, creating unemployment.

Abid Khan, a trader of Mian Mandi bazaar, who brings goods from Afghanistan, said the closure of the trade route between the two countries had rendered hundreds of drivers, helpers and labourers jobless.

Nasim Ullah, a shopkeeper, said the businesses had slumped, forcing the traders to flee the area. “About 1,000 tribesmen worked in Mian Mandi market every day, but now they have been rendered jobless,” he said.

Javed Khan, a truck driver, said he was jobless because there had been no trip to Afghanistan since long.

Similarly, Khali Khan, a daily wage earner, said it was becoming increasingly difficult for him to earn livelihood for his family, because nowadays he earned only Rs100 to Rs150 per day. “When the route was open he used to earn between RsRs500 and Rs1,500 daily,” he said.

Habib Rehman, a shopkeeper in Ghalanai bazaar, said before the closure of route, oil, soaps, perfumes, black tea, electronics, generators, shampoo and a large number of other products were coming from across the border in low prices, but now price of these goods had soared as these were brought from Peshawar.

The traders demanded of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Governor Engineer Shaukatullah, and military and local authorities to reopen the Pakistan-Afghanistan border route in Mohmand.

ELECTROCUTED: A tribesman was electrocuted on Sunday while repairing a line in his house in Danish Kool area of Pandiali tehsil. The victim was identified as Younis Khan.—Correspondent