KHYBER: Relatives of stranded transporters and representatives of transporters association have expressed concern over the delay in prompt return of hundreds of transporters from Afghanistan despite official assurances.

Addressing a press conference at district press club Landi Kotal on Tuesday, local transporters association office-bearers Rehman Zeb Afridi, Bilawal Afridi and Humayun Afridi said that they were given an assurance by the commissioner Peshawar in the presence of officials of Afghan consulate in Peshawar during a meeting on June 9 that the process of return of stranded transporters and their vehicles would be started from June 11.

Accompanied by family members of the stranded drivers and their assistants, they alleged that Afghan authorities were now making undue hurdles in the promised return of the transporters while hopes of the relatives were fast fading away due to unnecessary delay.

They said that a number of the families of the stranded persons were faced with acute financial issues as they had lost their only source of earning while they were also confronted with mental and physical stress due to prolonged delay in their return.

Published in Dawn, June 17th, 2026