PESHAWAR: The exporters and traders from North Waziristan Agency have demanded the revival of trade and economic activities on Ghulam Khan Route to ease their financial hardships as they are being subjected to huge financial losses due to prolonged closure of this transit route.
Speaking at a news conference on Wednesday, Chairman Traders Community (importers and exporters) from NWA, Haji Abdul Sattar said Ghulam Khan Transit Route is the shortest and inexpensive one to export edible and non-edible items to neighbouring Muslim country Afghanistan. He said the traders have been paying additional transportation charges on food and non-food consignments via alternative routes to Afghanistan in the wake of closure of Ghulam Khan Transit Route for the last three years.
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He lamented that shopping markets and bazaars in Miramshah and Mir Ali areas of NWA were destroyed during the security forces operations Zarb-e-Azb against militants in the agency, which also caused massive unemployment to the residents of the region.
During the press conference, president of Import and Export Association NWA Munir Ahmad, General Secretary Malik Naveed Sher, Chief Organizer Youth of Waziristan, Naseemullah, Chairman Political Alliance Syed Ayub, PPP tribal leader Malik Ghulam Khan, and PML-N Youth of Waziristan and Arfaq Dawar were also present.
“Government should announce a comprehensive compensation package to revive the business activities in the agency”, Abdul Sattar demanded. Besides, he said a soft loan scheme should be launched for militancy-affected business community of the North Waziristan Agency.
