Mahmood Khan Achakzai Urges Dialogue with Kabul to Ease Tensions
Mahmood Khan Achakzai, leader of the Pashtunkhwa National Awami Party, emphasized in a speech at the Pakistani parliament that the current conflict with Kabul must be resolved through dialogue, warning that the continuation of the situation harms both sides. He stated that accepting each other’s legitimate demands could pave the way for reducing tensions and restoring normal relations.
Referring to the economic consequences of the tensions, Achakzai added that after the closure of transit routes with Afghanistan, the agricultural products of farmers in Punjab province were destroyed, causing significant losses to them. According to him, this situation has not only disrupted bilateral trade but also damaged the livelihoods of thousands of families.
He also highlighted that thousands of people in border areas, especially in Chaman and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, have become unemployed due to the closure of crossings. He noted that residents of these areas used to travel daily between Jalalabad and Spin Boldak and earned regular income from these routes, but now their sources of income have halted.
Border tensions and the closure of crossings have repeatedly affected the lives of people on both sides of the border in recent years. Meanwhile, the absence of a sustainable dialogue mechanism between Islamabad and the Taliban administration has resulted in each round of tension exerting the greatest pressure on local residents and small traders; an issue that requires a responsible and accountable approach from all parties involved.
