Stranded Afghanis protest in Landi Kotal

Ahmad Nabi

LANDI KOTAL: Trapped Afghan nationals staged protest demonstration against suspension of Torkham border here on Tuesday. Large number of stranded Afghan citizens, gathered in front of Landi Kotal press club in main bazaar while asking for relaxation at the border.

They chanted full-throat slogans against Afghan government and the Afghan ambassador in Islamabad. The speakers said that thousands of Afghanistan bound citizens including children and women, stuck in Landi Kotal for the last one week willing to go to their country, however the Afghan government has turned blind eyes towards them.

They also came hard on the Afghan ambassador in Islamabad and said that even a single official from the Peshawar conciliate had not visit them to be informed of their miseries. The protesters added that they had taken refuge in mosques, verandas and streets under an open sky in Landi Kotal bazaar and beside the officials local philanthropists provided them food and water

The trapped Afghanis requested the Pak and Afghan governments to forthwith address their problems and let them to cross to their native country as due to financial crises they could not meet their expenses, staying in Landi Kotal bazaar. According to the Pak border security officials they continually asked the their counterpart at Torkham border to permit their citizens to cross the border in their motherland, Afghanistan but they declined their request on excuse that they could not accommodate huge number of COVID 19 suspected Afghanis.