PESHAWAR: Traders and exporters hailing from North Waziristan Agency have expressed concern over the prolonged closure of Ghulam Khan transit route and urged the federal government to open the route for boosting trade activities between Pakistan and Afghanistan.

Speaking at a press conference at Peshawar Press Club on Wednesday, the traders community leader Abdul Sattar said that export of various food and non-food items to Afghanistan was very easy through Ghulam Khan route and its closure had created problems for them.

He said that the traders were paying additional transportation charges on food and non-food consignments via alternative routes to Afghanistan in the wake of closure of Ghulam Khan route for the last three years.

He said that the shopping markets and bazaars in Miramshah and Mir Ali had been destroyed during the operation against militants in the tribal agency, which also caused unemployment in the area.

NWA Importers and Exporters Association president Munir Ahmad, general secretary Malik Naveed Sher, Youth Forum chief organiser Naseemullah, Political Alliance chairman Syed Ayub, PPP leader Ghulam Khan and others were also present at the press conference.

`The government should announce a comprehensive compensation package for the people to revive business activities in the agency,` Mr Sattar said and demanded launching of a soft loan scheme for business community of the militancy-affected North Waziristan Agency.

He said that revival of trade activities would help control unemployment and restore sustainable peace and economic prosperity in the area. He said that the closure of Ghulam Khan route had also slowed down trade activities between the two neighbouring countries.

He said that the traders had been paying customs duty and other levies to both the Pakistan and Afghanistan authorities, but the route closure was causing loss to them. Bureau Report