LANDI KOTAL: The continuous closure of Torkham border has jeopardised the academic career of over 350 Afghan students who had been studying in two private schools on Pakistan side of the border.

Managements of two private schools here, including Oxford Public School and Pak International School, told this scribe that 353 of their Afghan students got stuck on the Afghan side and had not attended their classes since Feb 17 when Pakistan closed its borders with Afghanistan.

They said that they had approached officials of the local political administration for a special permission to some nine Afghan students who were to appear for their 9th and 10th grade matric examinations, which commenced on March 15 (Wednesday).

Said Noor, principal of the Oxford Public School, said that names of the Afghan students were sent to the education board for issuing them roll numbers for the secondary school certificate examinations, which were issued a few weeks ago.

School principal in Landi Kotal says he is concerned about future of SSC students

He said that he had approached the political administration and other relevant officials for grant of a special permission to his students soon after closure of the border, but he was yet to get a positive response.

“We pleaded for grant of special ‘Rahdari’ type entry passes for our Afghan students, but no such arrangement was made,” he said.

Mr Noor said that he was particularly concerned about the future of matric students as the lower grade students might get admission to local schools across the border.

However, officials said that prospects of a special permission to Afghan students were not bright as the government was yet to take a decision about the reopening of the border.

Meanwhile, a Zakhakhel elder Malik Abdul Haleem has demanded immediate reopening of Torkham border along with restoration of bilateral trade between the two neighbouring countries.

Addressing a press conference here the other day, he said that thousands of local families depended on the cross-border trade and the continuous closure of border had affected daily life in Landi Kotal and surrounding areas.

He expressed his concern over the silence of Fata parliamentarians over the closure of border and urged them to take up the matter with the prime minister.

Published in Dawn, March 16th, 2017