Shinwari noted that nearly 90 percent of factories in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa depend on trade with Afghanistan, and the suspension of cross-border movement has crippled industries, traders and labourers. He warned that the ongoing restrictions have trapped the local population in severe economic distress.

He said billions of rupees in losses are being borne almost entirely by the Pashtun population, terming the policy equivalent to depriving the region of its economic lifeline.“It is time for everyone to unite and raise their voice against this injustice,” he added.

Shinwari recalled that Pakistan has always stood by Afghanistan in times of conflict, yet“whenever peace returns there, our government imposes border closures that only harm the poor.”

He called on senior officials of both Pakistan and Afghanistan to constitute a joint grand jirga to find a permanent solution to the issue.“Jirgas have played a decisive role in the past, and we are ready once again to fulfil that role,” he said.