Achakzai Slams Pakistan’s ‘Double Standard’ on Afghan Border Closure

DID Press: Head of the Pashtunkhwa Milli Awami Party has criticized Pakistan’s border policies toward Afghanistan, saying it is illogical to keep the Afghan border closed while trade through the Wagah crossing with India continues.

Mehmood Khan Achakzai, leader of the Pashtunkhwa Milli Awami Party, sharply criticized Islamabad’s approach and urged a complete rethink of current border restrictions.

Pointing to the continued closure of the Afghan border alongside the active Wagah crossing, Achakzai called the inconsistency unacceptable, saying: “A country cannot function with two different sets of rules.”

He added that shutting the Afghan border has harmed the economy of Pashtun-majority regions in Pakistan and disrupted bilateral trade.

Achakzai noted that during the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf government, trade between Pakistan and Afghanistan reached USD 1.7 billion, highlighting the importance of cross-border commerce.

He said Pashtun communities are not asking for special privileges but simply want permission to trade with their closest neighbor, Afghanistan.

Achakzai stressed that restoring border trade would support local livelihoods and increase Pakistan’s national revenue. He urged the government to review and revise its border policy in the interest of both the country’s economy and the Pashtun population.