BAJAUR: Tribal elders, leaders of political parties and traders on Sunday demanded reopening of the border points between Pakistan and Afghanistan in Bajaur district.

They made the demand while speaking at a jirga organised by Inayat Kallay traders’ association.

Speaking on this occasion, Inayat Kallay traders’ association president Imran Mahir said the jirga was convened to devise a plan for the early reopening of Nawa Pass, Ghakhi Pass and Litai Pass for resuming trade activity between the residents of two countries.

He thanked the participants for attending the jirga and said the forum would put pressure on the government to reopen the trade routes closed since 2007.

Jamiat Ulema-i-Islam-Fazl district chief Maulana Abdur Rasheed, Pakistan Peoples Party former MNA Sayed Akhunzada Chattan, Jamaat-i-Islami leader and former MNA Sahibzada Haroon Rasheed, Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz district president Malik Gul Kareem Khan, Awami National Party central working committee member Sheikh Jan Zada, chairman Khar tehsil council Haji Said Badshah and others addressed the conference.

They said Nawa Pass, Ghakhi Pass and Litai Pass were the traditional trade routes between the people of Bajaur and Afghanistan. They noted that closure of routes had caused suspension of cultural and economic ties between the people of the two regions. They called upon the governments of both Pakistan and Afghanistan to understand the difficulties of people on both sides of the border due to the closure of routes and order their early reopening.

Published in Dawn, May 23rd, 2022