By Sudhir Ahmad Afridi
KHYBER: Leaders of the Khyber Political Alliance urged residents of the tribal district to turn out in large numbers for a public rally scheduled to be held at Bacha Khan Chowk in Landi Kotal Bazaar, warning that prolonged border closures, worsening economic conditions and rising unemployment had pushed local communities into deep distress.
The call was made following a meeting of the alliance, during which party leaders expressed concern over what they described as the growing marginalization of tribal areas and the lack of effective measures to address long-standing public grievances. Speaking to reporters after the meeting, the alliance’s president, Murad Hussain Afridi, appealed to people from all walks of life to participate in the gathering, saying the situation had reached a point where silence was no longer an option.
Afridi said the repeated closure of border crossings had severely affected livelihoods in Khyber district, where a large segment of the population depended on cross-border trade and daily economic activity linked to movement across the frontier. He said the deepening economic crisis, coupled with limited employment opportunities, had left many families struggling to meet basic needs, particularly young people who faced bleak prospects for jobs and stability.
He said an important meeting of the Khyber Political Alliance had been held on Friday and was attended by representatives and office-bearers of all constituent parties. According to Afridi, participants held detailed discussions on the prevailing political and economic situation in the district and unanimously agreed to mobilize public support for the rally.
The alliance said the gathering would provide a platform to raise collective concerns, highlight public grievances and press for what it described as the legitimate rights of the tribal population. Afridi stressed that meaningful change could only come through unity and public participation, adding that the success of the rally depended on the involvement of all sections of society, including traders, workers, youth and elders.
Alliance leaders said the rally was intended to send a clear message to the authorities about the urgent need for policies that addressed economic hardship and restored stability and opportunity in the tribal districts.
