PESHAWAR: All Torkham Border Clearing Agents Association’s president Mujeeb Shinwari, on Wednesday urged federal and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa governments as well as security authorities to immediately reopen the Torkham border for transit trade, claiming that its prolonged closure had pushed thousands of workers and businesses into severe financial hardship.

Speaking at a press conference at Peshawar Press Club, Mr Shinwari said the border had remained closed for commercial activity for the past 10 months, leaving daily wage earners unemployed and clearing agents struggling to survive.

He said the suspension of trade had devastated the livelihoods of people dependent on cross-border commerce, forcing many families to leave the area in search of alternative sources of income.

Mr Shinwari called on the federal and provincial governments to hold meaningful negotiations with the Afghan authorities to resolve the issue permanently and restore trade through the Torkham crossing.

Suspension of transit trade leaves thousands jobless

He said the tribal districts lacked industrial infrastructure, making cross-border trade primary source of employment for local residents. He further said prolonged unemployment was exposing young people to social problems, also increasing the risk of their recruitment by militant groups.

The clearing agents’ leader also criticised the provincial government, saying they repeatedly sought a meeting with the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa chief minister but they were denied the opportunity to present the concerns of those associated with transit trade.

He appealed to the authorities to separate security issues from commercial activities, arguing that repeated closures of the border in the name of law and order had become a recurring problem, disrupting trade, affecting families living along the border and causing heavy financial losses to businesses.

Mr Shinwari said traders regularly paid taxes to the government and deserved policies that ensured continuity of trade. He maintained that even in conflict situations elsewhere in the world, border trade was often allowed to continue and urged both countries to engage in constructive dialogue to find a lasting solution to ensure uninterrupted cross-border commerce.

Published in Dawn, July 9th, 2026