PESHAWAR/KHYBER: The Pak-Afghan Joint Chamber of Commerce and Industry (PAJCCI) has expressed serious concern over the closure of the Torkham border, and urged the governments in Islamabad and Kabul to address the challenges faced by traders and the public due to the prevailing uncertain situation.

According to statement issued in Peshawar on Monday, the PAJCCI senior vice-president Ziaul Haq Sarhadi said that the border closure had not only halted trade activities between the two neighbouring countries but had also left thousands of people in distress on both sides of the border.

Mr Sarhadi, who is also an executive member of Sarhad Chamber of Commerce and Industry, highlighted the severe impact of the border closure, which has persisted for the last three consecutive days.

He pointed out that approximately 2,500 goods-laden trucks were stranded on the Pakistani side, waiting for clearance, with a similar number of vehicles stuck across the border.

Leader says thousands of goods-laden trucks stranded on both sides

“Many of these trucks carry perishable goods, including meat, poultry, vegetables, fruits and juices, which risk spoilage if not transported promptly,” he said.

Furthermore, Mr Sarhadi noted that hundreds of people, including patients, women, children, and elderly passengers, were stranded at the border, anxiously waiting for it to reopen. “Many have been forced to wait at immigration centres for the past three days without any clear updates on the situation,” he regretted.

The PAJCCI senior vice-president also expressed concerns over the financial strain on the business community, which was already grappling with the imposition of a two per cent Infrastructure Development Cess on export consignments in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.

“Though the provincial government later reduced the cess to one per cent, businesses continue to shift to other provinces, particularly Balochistan, due to the added costs,” he said.

Mr Sarhadi emphasised that sudden and prolonged closure of the Torkham border severely disrupted bilateral trade, causing significant economic losses for businesses on both sides.

He urged authorities in Pakistan and Afghanistan to resolve the issue immediately and ensure the uninterrupted movement of trade and passengers for the benefit of both the nations.

Meanwhile, the Torkham border remained closed for the third consecutive day on Monday as security officials of Pakistan and Afghanistan could not reach an understanding during their first meeting at the border’s zero point since the closure of the border on Friday night.

Officials said that though the thorny issue of construction/expansion of a security checkpost on the Afghan side was deliberated in detail, officials of both the countries took time on Monday to consult their higher authorities in Islamabad and Kabul.

The Monday meeting also prompted the customs officials to send a message to both their clearing officials and local clearing agents to attend to their respective duties by afternoon with the hope that the meeting would bear the desired positive results.

They, however, had to stay back as the meeting ended without any decision about the opening of the border and resumption of bilateral trade.

Sources said that the meeting lasted for almost three hours with traders, transporters and pedestrians waiting impatiently for good news about the border reopening.

They said that officials of both the customs and immigration departments were quite optimistic about a positive outcome of the negotiations process on Tuesday (today) with scores of Afghans with valid travel documents camped on both sides of the border.

Published in Dawn, February 25th, 2025