Traders hit hard by border closure

Long queues of trucks loaded with merchandise from Pakistani and Afghanistan could be seen on both sides

QUETTA: Traffic at the key border crossing between Pakistan and Afghanistan in Chaman remained suspended for the third consecutive day on Sunday as trade between the two neighbours suffered.

Although it was a weekly off, people on both sides hoped the border might open.

Top border security officials from both sides met on Saturday to resolve the issue, but the meeting ended in a stalemate.

Long queues of trucks loaded with fresh vegetables from Pakistani side and fruits from Afghanistan could be seen on both sides of the international frontier at Chaman.

President of the Chaman Traders’ Union Sadiq Khan Achakzai was upset with the closure of the border. “Traders have been suffering for the past three days. We are incurring huge losses due to the suspension of trade. We hope the flag meeting will lead to the reopening the borders,” he told The Express Tribune.

Published in The Express Tribune, August 22^nd,  2016.