PESHAWAR: Awami National Party has asked Kabul and Islamabad to ensure opening of Torkham border round the clock for trade activities to strengthen regional economy.

According to a statement issued here on Wednesday, ANP will hold a protest demonstration at Torkham on March 10 against the closure of trade routes between Pakistan and Afghanistan.

ANP provincial president Aimal Wali Khan said that Pakhtuns on both sides of the border were affected by the closure of the trade routes. He said that both the countries should remove the restrictions to improve their exports and bilateral relations.

Both the countries, he said, were strategically important and they should strengthen diplomatic relations. He said that opening of trade routes would enable both the countries to provide job opportunities to their people, improve health and education facilities besides enhancing trade activities.

Aimal Wali said that cordial trade ties between the two countries would help to control terrorism and create a soft image of the region. He said that both the states should remove trust deficit to improve bilateral trade on war footing in larger interests of their people. He said that any negligence on part of the neighbouring states would further affect their own people.

Published in Dawn, February 25th, 2021