PESHAWAR, July 15: Cross-border travellers are facing issues as bus service between Afghanistan’s Jalalabad and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s capital was suspended for two months due to pressure by the Afghanistan government on Friday.
The bus service was initiated 11 years ago between the two countries.
Reportedly, breadwinners of over 1,000 families are out of jobs as vehicles are not moving on the said route.
Federal Joint Secretary, Firdous Alam and provincial Minister for Transport, Akhtar Nawaz had inaugurated the bus service in May 2006 which supported nearly 1,000 cross-border travelers.
After tensions between the two countries were diffused at Torkham border, army and other security agencies had permitted the movement through the service but some elements in Afghanistan government are resisting. Sources said that at least 13 buses are parked and not functioning for two months. Unprovoked firing by Afghan forces at Torkham last month had claimed an army major s life. Tensions between the countries escalated as Afghanistan government opposed construction of a gate by Pakistan Army to check cross-border movement. The installation of a gate was initiated by the army more than 30 metres within Pakistan s territory. According to the ISPR, the gate will deter movement of peratives of extremist outfits from Afghanistan to Pakistan. However, the governments stroke a consensus over the construction after around a week of intermittent firing.-Agencies
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