KHYBER: Custom clearing agents and traders have demanded a special relief package for them along with practical steps for an early reopening of borders with Afghanistan.

Addressing a news conference at the district press club in Landi Kotal here on Wednesday, Torkham Customs Clearing Agents Association chairman Mirajuddin and president Mujeebullah Shinwari said that over four-month-long Pak-Afghan border closure had adversely affected the local traders, transporters, labourers and even ordinary residents as trade via Torkham had come to a complete halt.

They said that the continuous border closure has confronted the people of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa in general and that of Khyber in particular with acute financial crises.

They said that the federal government too was losing customs revenue up to $2.5 and Rs540 million in terms of exports and imports respectively on a daily basis since the border was closed on October 12.

Early reopening of Torkham border also demanded

Mr Shinwari said that despite border closure and suspension of bilateral trade, most of the custom clearing agents had to bear expenses of their offices along with payment of their staff salaries which was an added burden on them.

He said that local traders heavily relied on trade with Afghanistan as they had invested huge amounts in Afghanistan and were now running into losses.

“The continuous border closure has pushed many transporters and poor daily wagers to the brink of poverty and extreme helplessness,” he said.

He said most of the poor daily wagers, porters and even small-time traders and transporters were badly hit by financial issues.

Chairman Mirajuddin demanded that Pakistani authorities initiate a meaningful dialogue with the Taliban regime in Afghanistan for sorting out trade and security issues with immediate focus on reopening all borders.

He said that border issues were a federal issue, so it was the authority of the federal government to take up the matter with Kabul for its early resolution.

Mr Mirajuddin also demanded of the chief minister to announce a special financial relief package of the families affected by the border closure, saying Mr Sohail Afridi is a resident of Khyber tribal district and is fully aware of the misery of local traders and transporters.

Meanwhile, the Fata Loya Jirga urged the federal government to withdraw the merger of erstwhile Fata with Khyber Pakhtunkhwa through the proposed 28th Constitutional Amendment.

The Fata Loya Jirga president told reporters in Jamrud that people of merged tribal districts wanted the old status of Fata to be restored as the merger with Khyber Pakhtunkhwa had further complicated the situation in those regions.

He alleged that both federal and provincial governments didn’t fulfil their promises made to the people of tribal areas at the time of merger, so it was imperative to roll back the existing system and revive the previous Fata status.

Published in Dawn, February 19th, 2026