Pakistan-Afghanistan border trade deal challenged in court

LAHORE - A petition was filed in the Lahore High Court Saturday against the Pakistan-Afghanistan border trade deal, saying it will facilitate poppy and arms smuggling in the region, a media report said.

Advocate Shafqat Mehmood Chauhan, who filed the petition, said both countries have adopted a light security arrangement at the border for easy transit of goods, and that may help the militants to enter Pakistan easily, Geo TV reported.

He requested the court to declare the agreement void.

The petitioner, a former president of Lahore High Court Bar Association, said the deal will wreak havoc in Pakistan, as it will promote poppy and arms smuggling from Afghanistan.

He added that many banned goods from India could be smuggled into Pakistan through Afghanistan, which will adversely impact the local industry.