Over 7,000 trucks laden with goods, including perishable items have been stranded at the Pakistan-Afghanistan Torkham border for the last five days due to the closure of the crossing point by the Pakistan government. Director Pak-Afghan Joint Chamber of Commerce and Industry (PAJCCI), Zia-ul-Haq Sarhadi, said the closure of the border would inflict enormous losses to exporters and businessmen if the Pakistan government did not open the gate.
The Torkham border crossing — a vital commercial artery and a trade route for Pakistan to Central Asian countries — was shut by the Afghan Taliban on Sunday after Islamabad accused Kabul of providing safe havens to the Pakistan Taliban militants whose cross-border attacks have led to a spike in violence in the country.
The Afghan government opened its gate at the border crossing point on Thursday. The stoppage of containers on the way to Afghanistan is inflicting demurrage charges to exporters in thousands of rupees on a daily basis besides the concern of the rotting of perishable items.
Source: thehindu.com