Tribal traders and exporters have said that the suspension of all sorts of movement on Pak-Afghan Torkham border has incurred loss of millions of rupees to their businesses as well as national exchequer Local tribesmen associated with various businesses on Torkham border were of the view that trade activities have come to standstill at Pak-Afghan Torkham border for last seven consecutive days, which had literally confined them to their homes.
They said the closure of Pak-Afghan border has multiplied their sufferings and added to their miseries. Torkham border wears a deserted look as the officials of security agencies do not allow anybody to enter or cross the Shaheed checkpoint in Torkham, they added.
Torkham customs house official, Naeem, while sharing details pertaining to the traffic said that approximately 500 vehicles loaded with exports and 400 imports carrier trucks were daily crossing the border and Rs 15 million in taxes were being collected from them. However, he further said the economic activities have been suspended completely for last one week.
"The export of agrarian products to Afghanistan have stopped that will not only hurt the exporters but will also have a negative impact on the agriculture sector of the country", he maintained.
Regarding the loaded vehicles, customs official informed that around 600 containers of Afghan transit trade were stranded on bordering areas and that it was the only source of foreign exchange. The uncertain situation on Pak-Afghan border certainly affects the economy of Pakistan, he stated.
Suspending supply of certain commodities like sugar and wheat that is permitted through agreement by the Ministry of Commerce via Torkham will discourage export and if the situation remains as it is, the importers in Afghanistan will turn to neighbouring countries like Iran and Tajikistan. President clearance agents association Torkham, Hayatullah Shinwari while sharing his views said that for the last one week all clearance process had been halted in Torkham and more than 600 clearance agents beside hundreds of thousands of laborers, handcart pushers and daily wagers attached to the clearance business had been left jobless.