KARACHI: Traders of Pakistan and Afghanistan claimed on Thursday that the closure of Chaman border was causing them losses of Rs100 million a day besides affecting the much-needed humanitarian assistance to Afghanistan.

Due to closure of the Chaman border for more than a month, they said, the traders had suffered huge losses. They demanded immediate resumption of trade with Afghanistan by keeping the borders open, especially for trade, people’s movement and humanitarian assistance.

“The governments of Pakistan and Afghanistan should remove procedural obstacles for trade and people’s movement,” said Zubair Motiwala, chairman of Pakistan-Afghanistan Joint Chamber of Commerce and Industry (PAJCCI). “The closure is badly affecting SME and individual traders from both sides besides pushing prices of food items up and causing massive inflation. It is time that both sides take advantage of fresh fruit and vegetable season in Afghanistan which is getting wasted due to closure of the border,” Mr Motiwala said.

Published in Dawn, October 29th, 2021