Awami National Party central general secretary Mian Iftikhar Hussain. PHOTO: NNI/ARCHIVE
PESHAWAR:
Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa National Awami Party President Mian Iftikhar Hussain has said that approximately 2,500 to 3,000 Pakistani students currently residing in Afghanistan are facing serious difficulties due to border closure.
In a press release, he said that the students have completed their academic session and despite the start of the holidays, they remain stranded in Afghanistan due to the continued closure of border crossings. The closure of the border, he added, has become the biggest obstacle to their safe return home.
Mian Iftikhar Hussain urged authorities to put aside political differences and rigid attitudes, warning that such decisions are negatively affecting students, business and employment. He demanded that both the federal and provincial governments take immediate steps to resolve the issue and ensure the safe return of the stranded students.
He stressed that if return by road is not possible, the government should organize special flights for students. The ANP provincial president further stated that the party’s central president, 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 Provincial Assembly member Nisar Baz has also repeatedly raised the issue in the provincial assembly.
“Unfortunately, no practical progress has been made so far,” he said.
Mian Iftikhar Hussain pointed out that the parents of the stranded students are suffering from serious mental disorders and stressed that it is the responsibility of the government to take urgent action and address their concerns without further delay.
