PESHAWAR: The opening of Ghulam Khan border between Pakistan and Afghanistan was delayed yet again for an indefinite time period on Wednesday.
Officials in the political administration were forced to make the knowledge public when a large number of trucks and other vehicles loaded with goods assembled on Ghulam Khan Road. The officials said, “so far arrangements and infrastructure of customs and other government institutions are incomplete.”
A number of tribal elders and traders established contacts with North Waziristan’s political agent and general commanding officer (GCO) on coming to know of the decision, however, results of these contacts could not be ascertained so far.
Ghulam Khan border was closed for every sort of economic activities as well as for tribesmen living on both sides of Pak-Afghan border on June 15, 2014, when the armed forces embarked on military action Zarb-i-Azab.
The border was later opened for the return of displaced people, who had migrated to the adjacent Khost province of Afghanistan.
Tribal jirga member and known tribal elder Khalid Khan Dawar has termed the postponement of border opening “meaningless”. He said that the population of North Waziristan depended on the bilateral trade, therefore, this border should be opened.
Ghulam Khan border is considered third important crossing point between Pakistan and Afghanistan after Chaman in Baluchistan and Torkham in Khyber Agency
