PESHAWAR: The federal government has decided to reopen the Ghulam Khan border checkpost in North Waziristan Agency on July 3 (Monday) to allow transit trade between Pakistan and Afghanistan after four years.

The Ghulam Khan trade route was closed after the start of anti-terrorism offensive, Zarb-i-Azb, in North Waziristan in June 2014.

It is the second trade checkpoint in Fata to be reopened within a fortnight.

On June 17, the government had reopened the Kharlachi border crossing with Afghanistan in Kurram Agency after four-month closure.

A relevant Federal Board of Revenue official told Dawn that the reopening of Ghulam Khan trade point would generate employment opportunities in the region as the locals would work as customs agents, transporters and vendors.

He said the Ghulam Khan route was significant for the people of southern districts as it offered them an easy access to Paktia province of Afghanistan for trade.

The official said arrangements for the checkpoint’s reopening had already been finalised.

He said the Ghulam Khan route was mainly used by cement dealers and that at least 20 trucks would enter Afghanistan using it on daily basis.

Meanwhile, the FBR has denied the closure of Kharlachi checkpost by Afghans and insisted the route was operational.

Spokesman for the FBR Syed Fazal Badshah told Dawn that the Kharlachi checkpoint was temporarily closed due to the sit-in by the relatives of the Parachinar bomb blasts.

“There is no truth in the reports suggesting that Afghans have closed the Kharlachi border.

The fact of the matter is that the sit-in against Parachinar bomb blasts adversely affected the flow of traffic and thus, leading to the temporary closure of the route,” he said.

Meanwhile, Pak-Afghan Joint Chamber of Commerce and Industry senior vice president Ziaul Haq Sarhadi welcomed the reopening of the Ghulam Khan trade route and said the move would boost Pak-Afghan trade.

“This border checkpoint’s reopening is a good omen for Pakistan and Afghanistan’s trade relations. It will ease the serious problems facing traders on both sides of the border,” he said.

Mr Sarhadi, who is also the leader of customs clearing agents, appreciated the role of Peshawar customs collector Qurban Ali Khan in the reopening of the Ghulam Khan trade route and said he was hopeful that better security situation would lead to the functioning of all Pak-Afghan trade routes on regular basis.

He said the Pak-Afghan trade volume had declined from over $2 billion to below $1 billion due to bilateral tensions and security issues.

The PAJCCI leader said the reopening of the Ghulam Khan checkpost would not only strengthen bilateral trade but would also benefit business community on both side of the border.

He urged Islamabad and Kabul to take serious steps to improve business activities.

Published in Dawn, July 1st, 2017