JALALABAD (SW) – The Torkham border crossing has officially reopened for commercial transit after a two-month closure. This development coincides with the approaching end of Afghanistan’s fresh produce season.
Khan Jan Alokozai, head of the Pakistan-Afghanistan Joint Chamber of Commerce and Industry (PAJCCI), stated that the closure of this route over the past two months has caused a loss of six million dollars to the private sector.
Afghan traders have expressed their frustration over the closure, claiming it has resulted in hundreds of thousands of dollars in losses for them.
Afghan businessman Ghulam Rasul Hazrat noted that the reopening is of little benefit as the season for fruits and vegetables is nearly over. “I’ve incurred losses of approximately one 150,000 dollars.”
Another trader, Mohammad Mokhlis, emphasized the importance of the Torkham crossing as a key transit route for goods between Afghanistan and Pakistan. He pointed out that the closure of this path has resulted in millions of afghanis in losses for traders.
The Torkham border crossing had been closed for commercial transit due to protest marches in Pakistan’s Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province over the past two months.
