Traders and exporters from restive North Waziristan Agency (NWA) said that they have inflicted with huge financial losses due to prolonged closure of Ghulam Khan's transit route, and demanded that the route should be opened for trade and economic activities to ease their financial problems. Speaking at a news conference at press club here on Wednesday, Chairman Traders Community (importers and exporters) from NWA, Haji Abdul Sattar said the Ghulam Khan's transit route is short and inexpensive to export eatable and non-eatable items to neighbouring Afghanistan.

He added that traders were paying additional transportation charges on food and non-food consignments via alternative routes to Afghanistan in wake of closure of Ghulam Khan route for the last three years that would have huge financial burden on them. He further said that the shopping markets and bazaars in Miram Shah and Mir Ali of NWA had destroyed during operation Zarb-e-Azb against the militants in the tribal agency, which also caused massive unemployment in the region.

During the press conference, President of Import and Export Association NWA, Munir Ahmad, General Secretary Malik NaveedSher, Chief organiser youth of Waziristan, Naseemullah, Chairman Political Alliance, Syed Ayub, PPP tribal leader, Malik Ghulam Khan, and PML-N youth of Waziristan, ArfaqDawar and others, were also present. "Government should announce a comprehensive compensation package to revive the business activities in the agency", Abdul Sattar demanded.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2017