KHYBER: The Khyber chapter of Jamiat Ulama-i-Islam (F) has expressed reservations over the poor handling of Afghans repatriation via the Torkham border, stating that the current official approach risks turning four decades of goodwill into hostility between the people of the two neighbouring countries.

Addressing a press conference at the district press club Landi Kotal on Sunday, the party local leadership including Mufti Ejaz, Qari Nazeemgul and Muhammad Ahmad Banuri suggested to the provincial government to devise a mechanism which could ensure smooth and dignified return of all the undocumented Afghans.

They said that innocent and helpless Afghans were made to wait for several days at roadside in hostile weather conditions before being allowed to cross the border after undergoing a frustrating procedure of verification and registration in Landi Kotal.

They alleged that the official staff deputed at the transit point was exploiting the miserable condition of the returning Afghans to their personal financial benefits, demanding huge amounts from Afghans for prompt registration and verification.

They said that the prolonged closure of borders with Afghanistan was not only negatively impacting the bilateral trade but had also rendered thousands of people jobless on both sides of the border.

They said that a majority of the jobless people were drifting towards unlawful activities while their families were confronted with serious financial crises.

They said that continuous silence of the provincial government over the plight of affected local people was not only hurting traders and labourers, but it was also a violation of their basic human rights.

Demanding a segregation of bilateral trade from security issues, they insisted that a continuous closure of border and suspension of trade instead of addressing the security issues would further erode mutual trust and confidence between the two countries.

Published in Dawn, May 4th, 2026