Awami National Party provincial president Aimal Wali Khan has cautioned the federal government that it should immediately correct its ‘flawed’ border policy regarding Afghanistan if it does not want to lose its trade with the neighbouring nation.

Addressing his party workers in Landi Kotal on Wednesday, he was quoted as saying by Dawn News that trade would be diverted to Iranian Chabahar Port if relaxation in grant of visa and cross-border movement were not introduced at all the borders with Afghanistan.

Demanding round-the-clock opening of all border crossings with Afghanistan, the ANP provincial chief told the newspaper that it would greatly help in augmenting bilateral trade between the two neighbouring countries alongside facilitating hassle-free pedestrian movement of people on both sides of the border.

The political leader further pointed out that the Rs75 billion project of fencing the border could not help in terrorists’ infiltration into Pakistan and rather affected cross-border movement of common people from both sides.

“What is the use of fencing the border when it has failed to achieve the desired results of preventing terrorists’ entry into Pakistan and a subsequent surge in terrorist acts in the country,” he told Dawn News.

(IBNS)