Landicotal: The Turkham Border Crossing between Pakistan and Afghanistan was closed on Wednesday for the fifth consecutive day, which severely disrupted trade and travel, officials confirmed.
The closure, which began on February 22, was born by Afghan forces due to tensions over the construction of a bunker in the disputed area near the border. In response, the Frontier Corps of Pakistan (FC) intervened, which led to the standing between the two sides. Since then, the security forces of the two countries have reinforced their positions, which has raised concerns.
According to customs officials, the suspension of trade in the last five days has resulted in a loss of $ 12 million. The Turkham crossing, an important trading route, facilitates the movement of thousands of goods daily. Its prolonged closure has affected industries that rely on imports and exports between Pakistan and Afghanistan.
Immigration officials have reported that about 10,000 10,000 people cross the border of Turkham daily, including traders, passengers, and patients seeking medical treatment in Pakistan. The shutdown has left thousands of people trapped on both sides, which faces human sympathy with many people.
Local traders and daily wages earners have been particularly severely targeted. A businessman Nizim Gul, a businessman, highlighted that about 800 waves daily 800 vagers rely on crossing for their livelihood. They are struggling to maintain themselves as long as they are closed.
Talks between Pakistani and Afghan border officials are underway to resolve the dispute. Mujeeb Khan Shanwari, president of the Tourism Customs Clearing Agents Association, said there were several rounds of debates, in which customs collector Matin Alam was involved in the process of mediation. He expressed the hope that an agreement had been reached and that the border could soon open.
As a precautionary measure, authorities transferred customs, immigration, and police officers to Landicotal from Torkam Bazaar. However, officials hope that the trade and pedestrian movement will resume soon, the final clearance from both sides is pending.
Due to the tension between Pakistan and Afghanistan, the Turkham crossing is frequently shut down, which often disrupts severe economic and supply. Experts emphasize the need for a sustainable mechanism to prevent such frequent trade barriers, which negatively affect bilateral relations and economic stability.
So far, it is uncertain to reopen the border with the expectation of further negotiations in the coming days.
