Mian Iftikhar Hussain, central general secretary of the Awami National Party. PHOTO: NNI/FILE
PESHAWAR:
Awami Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa National Party President Mian Iftikhar Hussain said around 2,500 to 3,000 Pakistani students currently residing in Afghanistan were facing severe difficulties due to border closure.
In a press release, he said that the students have completed their academic session and despite the start of vacations, they remain stranded in Afghanistan due to the continued closure of border posts. Border closures, he added, have become the biggest obstacle to their safe return.
Mian Iftikhar Hussain urged authorities to put aside political differences and rigid attitudes, warning that such decisions have a negative impact on students, trade and employment. He demanded that the federal and provincial governments take immediate steps to resolve the problem and ensure the safe return of the stranded students.
He stressed that if return by road is not possible, the government should arrange special flights for students. The ANP provincial chairman further said that the party’s central chairman, Senator Aimal Wali Khan, had already submitted a formal request to the Pakistani authorities and the Prime Minister’s Office through central spokesperson Ehsanullah Khan. He added that ANP member of the Provincial Assembly Nisar Baz also raised the issue several times before the Provincial Assembly.
“Unfortunately, no practical progress has been made so far,” he said.
Mian Iftikhar Hussain noted that the parents of the stranded students are suffering from severe mental distress and stressed that it is the responsibility of the government to take urgent measures and address their concerns without further delay.
