Quetta | Jan 11, 2026:
Chief of the Afghan National Movement, Ahmed Khan, has warned that continued border closures and flawed trade policies are pushing the country toward severe economic crisis.
Addressing a press interaction, Ahmed Khan said economic development has become an unattainable dream, particularly in Pashtun border districts. He emphasized that the Pak-Afghan border divides communities with shared ancestry, culture, and family ties, which cannot be severed by force.
He stated that unemployment, agricultural decline, and lack of industrial activity have already devastated border regions, and continued closure has worsened poverty for traders and laborers. Ahmed Khan demanded immediate reopening of the border to safeguard livelihoods of millions of poor families.
He announced full support for peaceful protests, terming the prolonged closure a conspiracy to economically weaken Pashtun communities. Highlighting humanitarian concerns, he said even movement of patients and deceased bodies is restricted. He urged both neighboring countries to respect each other’s sovereignty and reopen the border to ease economic hardship and public suffering.
