BAJAUR: Local leaders of Awami National Party have demanded the government to reopen border routes between Pakistan and Afghanistan for trade activities, saying such routes in Bajaur had been closed for the past 14 years.

They made the demand at a gathering held at Sidashah locality near the Pak-Afghan border in Charmang region the other day. Besides the party activists, elders and local residents also attended the meeting to highlight the social and economic problems being faced by area people.

ANP central working committee member Sheikh Jan Zada, district general secretary Nisar Khan, Dawood Khan, Ikramullah Khan, Bajaur chamber of commerce president Haji Lali Shah and others addressed the meeting.

They noted that the prolonged closure of border routes for mutual trade was one of the major issues of the local people. They said all the five border routes with Afghanistan in Bajaur had been closed since 2007.

The ANP leaders said that people of the district had been expecting that all the border routes, especially the Ghakhai Pass and Nawa Pass, would be reopened after restoration of peace in the region. However, they said that this could not happen though Prime Minister Imran Khan during his visit to the district on Sept 28, 2020, had also announced to reopen the said routes for mutual trade.

They termed reopening of the said routes essential for improving the socioeconomic conditions of the people of Bajaur.

The speakers also demanded of the government to take tangible steps for repair of the infrastructure in Charamang region which had been damaged by militancy and war on terror in 2008-09.

VACCINATION: The district administration has established a special Covid vaccination counter for teachers in the district headquarters hospital, Khar, said a statement issued by the DC office here on Tuesday. It said the teachers from across the district would be allowed to get vaccinated against Covid-19 at the counter from Wednesday (today).

Meanwhile, a statement issued by the district education officer’s office said the employees of local education department had been directed to get vaccination by June 10.

Published in Dawn, June 2nd, 2021