PESHAWAR: The All Pakistan Agricultural Produce Traders Federation (APAPTF) urged the federal government to immediately reopen all Pakistan-Afghanistan border points for trade, warning that the prolonged closure has rendered thousands of workers jobless and caused heavy losses to both traders and the national exchequer.
Addressing at a news conference at Peshawar Press Club on Wednesday, the APAPTF Central President Malik Sohni said that the prolonged closure of the Pak-Afghan border had caused an unprecedented hike in prices of fruits and vegetables on both sides of the border.
Accompanied by Peshawar Fruit Traders Association President Haji Alf Khan, Mirch Mandi President Pir Dilawar, Grain Market head Haji Ihsanullah, and Vegetable Market Vice President Haji Faizullah, said that the border remained closed to bilateral trade for nearly a month, resulting in perishable goods such as fruits and vegetables rotting in trucks stranded at the border.
Malik Sohni said the closure had caused billions of rupees in losses to exporters, importers, and commission agents, while the federal government is also losing billions daily in tax revenue.
He added that thousands of families in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa had lost their livelihoods, as trade with Afghanistan was a major source of employment for the province’s working class.
He called on the federal government to engage in dialogue with Afghan authorities to resolve outstanding issues and restore trade, noting that “even countries with strained relations keep their trade routes open.”
He warned that the continued blockade was worsening inflation, as shortages of essential commodities were driving up prices in local markets.
Malik Sohni also criticized the Customs and Excise departments, alleging that officials continued to extort traders even after clearance from the Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) and other relevant agencies.
He urged the government to allow convoys of Pakistani trade trucks currently stranded in Afghanistan to enter the country, as they were carrying goods worth millions of rupees.
He further complained that while traders faced strict legal action, including FIRs, even for briefly blocking roads in protest, certain tribal groups were allowed to close routes for extended periods without consequences.
Reiterating support for the armed forces, Malik Sohni said the traders “stand shoulder to shoulder with the Pakistan Army and acknowledge its sacrifices.”
He appealed to the federal government to take immediate and concrete steps to reopen the Pakistan-Afghanistan border, which he said would revive trade, provide employment opportunities, and help struggling families across Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2025
