Quetta, May 21: Life in the border town of Chaman in Balochistan province has been at a virtual standstill for almost two weeks due to protests by traders, political leaders and daily wage workers against the new border crossing regulations and anger at the action of security forces.
Hundreds of trucks and other vehicles loaded with goods of Afghan transit trade and other items have been stranded on both sides of the border waiting for the reopening of the highway in Chaman.
Hundreds of local tribesmen and daily wage earners have been protesting against new visa and passport restrictions on people of the border town to cross into Afghanistan and vice versa.
The fresh protests started after two people were killed in a clash with the security forces in Chaman.
Public and private banks and offices of passport, and Customs have been closed since the beginning of this month when protesters clashed with security forces.
The protesters have also blocked the Quetta-Chaman national highway, connecting Pakistan with Afghanistan.
The Chaman border crossing, also known as Bab-e-Dosti (the Friendship Gate), is one of the most significant and busiest border points between Pakistan and Afghanistan.
Located in Balochistan’s Chaman district, it serves as a critical transit point for trade, travel, and communication between the two countries.
“Since May 4, all trade activities have been suspended in Chaman, and no export and import between Pakistan and Afghanistan through the Chaman border has taken place due to the strike and protest of the all parties traders alliance,” Muhammad Imran Kakar, the Chaman Chamber of Commerce and Industry president told Dawn.
He said that fresh protests started after two people were killed in a clash with the security forces in Chaman.
Protests have been ongoing in Chaman since October 2023 when the Pakistan government imposed a ban on crossing the Pakistan-Afghanistan border without valid travel documents and introduced the new ‘one document regime’.
Kakar claimed that thousands of daily wage labourers, working on the border and involved in small trade on both sides became jobless due to the new regulations.
The negotiations between protestors and the Balochistan government, which were held two weeks back, also failed to result in a breakthrough.
The protestors’ main demand is the withdrawal of the new regulation and resumption of the old system which allowed travel on the Pakistani National Identity Card and Afghan ID card, called Teskera.
Kakar said the protesters were told that the issue would be resolved during Chief Minister Sarfraz Bugti’s visit to Chaman, but he has failed to do pay a visit.
