Khyber District: The prolonged closure of the Torkham border—considered a key source of livelihood for the economy of District Khyber—has pushed local taxi drivers and laborers into severe financial distress. 

Hundreds of families have reportedly been forced into unemployment and poverty due to the suspension of cross-border movement.

Speaking to the media, Waqar, a taxi driver from Khogakhel, said he had been supporting his family by operating a motor taxi from Torkham to Karkhano Market for the past eight years. 

However, due to the border closure over the last eight months, he has completely lost his source of income. He added that continuous unemployment and financial pressure ultimately forced him to sell his small Toyota car, as it had been lying unused and deteriorating at home for months.

According to him, this is not only his personal struggle but the reality faced by hundreds of drivers in Landi Kotal, many of whom are going through similar hardship. Some have already sold their vehicles, while others are still hoping that the Torkham border will reopen and restore their livelihoods.

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Waqar stated that when the border was operational, around 6,000 people crossed daily between Afghanistan and Pakistan. A large number of people also traveled for labor and employment opportunities in the area. After the closure, approximately 2,000 laborers have also become unemployed.

The affected drivers and laborers have appealed to the authorities, stating that most of the livelihood in District Khyber depends on the Torkham border, and its closure has pushed the local population into a severe economic crisis. They warned that with Eid-ul-Adha approaching, many families may not even be able to perform the religious obligation of Qurbani due to financial constraints.

They urged the government to immediately reopen the Torkham border so that people on both sides can breathe a sigh of relief and local livelihoods can be restored.