South Waziristan political admin lifts ban on pine nuts distribution across country

PESHAWAR: The barricade has been lifted for trucks of pine nuts in South Waziristan Agency to be supplied across the country after two weeks of being stopped from accessing markets.

The political administration of the agency said they had stopped the trucks from taking the pine nuts harvest further for distribution in markets across Pakistan as they wanted to store the fruit in Wana area of South Waziristan so that it could be made more profitable. As per the political administration, they would have polished the pine nuts so that more money could be charged on the final and presentable product.

However, locals said, the facility in Wana was not ready to do as claimed. They added there were no air conditioners to store or proper equipment in the facility to turn the pine nuts into what the political administration was promising.

According to sources, it has been alleged that the political administration wanted to take over the pine nuts harvest to sell it on their own, which is why they had barred the trucks from moving further in the country.

Nevertheless, locals’ persistence forced the authorities concerned to clear the path.

The nine tribes to which the pine nuts fields belong, protested the political administration’s move, saying the ban was causing them a loss of billions.

Although South Waziristan is famous for its pine nuts, besides walnuts, Pakistan gets the fruit from Afghanistan as well.