KHYBER: The ongoing blockade of the main Torkham highway by Kukikhel protesters has largely ‘spoiled’ the peak import season from Afghanistan and so far has caused a whopping monetary loss of approximately Rs540 million to national exchequer on a daily basis since August 21.

Sources at Torkham told Dawn that exports of all types to Afghanistan too were completely halted that were additionally inflicting losses on local traders and manufacturers to the tune of $2.5 million on daily basis with no immediate solution to the return of Kukikhel displaced families and reopening of the road.

They said that those figures were obtained by customs authorities some three months ago and the amount on a daily basis might have increased with a rise in the quantum of bilateral trade during the current ‘peak season’.

Importers at Torkham told this scribe that August and September were considered ‘ideal’ and profitable months for import of fresh fruits and vegetables alongside soapstone and coal, which earned the custom authorities a handsome amount in terms of import duty on a daily basis.

Stranded drivers say they are suffering from mental and physical stress

“This is the peak season for import of fresh Afghan fruits like apple, apricot, grapes and watermelon along with fresh vegetables including onion and tomato added by dry fruits of various types,” said Mujeebullah, a custom clearing agent.

He said that 300 to 400 vehicles loaded with those items would come from Afghanistan on a daily basis out of which more than 500 were now stuck on the Pakistan side of the road, mostly in Landi Kotal owing to closure of the road by the Kukikhel protesters.

He said that Pakistan during the same period of the year would send 200 to 300 loaded vehicles of cement, aluminum sheets for manufacturing of cans and bottles in Afghanistan, building material, furniture items, medicines, mineral water and cool drinks of various types along with banana, mangoes and peaches to different parts of Afghanistan on a daily basis.

Mujeebullah said that the most lucrative season of both imports and exports from and to Afghanistan via Torkham border was lost due to the sudden closure of the main highway by Kukikhel tribesmen while traders and transporters incurred losses to the tune of millions of rupees along with a huge loss to national exchequer.

Local importers and exporters had long been demanding a hindrance-free bilateral trade with Afghanistan with special focus on provision of better facilities to them at the time of goods clearance and removing traffic congestion at Torkham border for a swift cross-border movement by loaded vehicles.

Meanwhile, drivers stranded on the main highway complained about the hardships they were confronted with owing to closure of road since August 21.

Said Rasool, an Afghan driver who had soapstone loaded on his vehicle, told Dawn that most of them were running short of money as they had already exhausted their ‘pocket money’ they were carrying with them because they had to bear additional expenses on food and other daily use items during the 12-day closure of road.

He said that most of the drivers and their assistants had to stay close to their loaded vehicles for fear of theft or any act of sabotage. “Days are frustrating and nights are mostly sleepless as we have to spend our whole time on the road beneath our vehicles while a majority of drivers are now suffering from mental and physical stress,” he said.

Groups of local young volunteers, mostly Noujawan-i-Qabayal activists, have been providing free food and drinking water to the stranded drivers.

Kukikhel protesters have in the meantime allowed ‘small vehicles’ to run between Peshawar and Landi Kotal while using a dirt road along Bhagiyarree checkpost where they have established their protest camp.

The relaxation for small vehicles have eased movement of locals and also paves way for carrying essential daily use items including edibles to Landi Kotal and surrounding localities.

The protesters, however, remained adamant about the reopening of the road as they still insisted on the immediate return of all the remaining Kukikhel IDPs to Tirah with an adequate compensation on the pattern of Swat and Waziristan returned families.

Published in Dawn, September 2nd, 2024