Pak-Afghan Chaman border set to reopen after successful negotiations

The border crossing was shut down on Aug 18 after a large number of Afghans flung stones at the Friendship Gate


Mohammad Zafar August 31, 2016
A file photo of Chaman border. PHOTO: REUTERS

QUETTA: Following successful negotiations, Pakistan and Afghanistan agreed on Wednesday to reopen the Chaman border gate after two weeks of its closure.

The Friendship Gate is set to reopen on September 1 for public, a Frontier Corps (FC) spokesperson said after the meeting between the two sides.

The Chaman border was shut on August 18 after a large number of Afghans flung stones at the Friendship Gate, smashing windowpanes of several government departments and desecrating the Pakistani flag.

Pak-Afghan authorities holding talks to reopen Chaman border gate. PHOTO: ZAFAR BALOCH

Pak-Afghan border shut in Chaman after Afghans desecrate Pakistani flag

Reports suggested the Afghans were incensed by demonstrations in Balochistan sparked by Indian premier Narendra Modi’s speech on August 15 - India’s Independence Day - showing their support to the neighbouring country.

Trade relations between Pakistan and Afghanistan came to halt after the shutdown of the border gate as vehicles and trucks wanting to resume the operation were seen standing idle near the gate.

PHOTO: ZAFAR BALOCH

COMMENTS (11)

Pakistani | 7 years ago | Reply @Hakim Afghani: It will be a lucky day for us when we will get rid of the scums we have been hosting for decades and we surely will love to have wall............only afghan government weeps about it when Pakistan put proposal on border fencing.
Humza | 7 years ago | Reply @Hakim Afghani: It is important that both Afghans and Pakistanis agree to control the border and restrict the movement of people so it is welcoming news to hear that an Afghan wants the border closed as do most Pakistanis. Now that Afghanistan can trade via Iran and Central Asia, there should be no international pressure on Pakistan to proved a route because the cross border movement of criminals is bad for both countries. The border should be fenced and mined along its entire length to prevent movement of people in an uncontrolled fashion. Millions of Afghan refugees in Pakistan need to be repatriated to Afghanistan to help that nation get back on its own feet. Rather than smuggling and begging for asylum all over the world, is it not better for Afghans to remain in their own country and rebuild it? The US and Western forces should help build the wall to control movement and if Afghanistan only wants relations with India from it has taken dictation for nearly 70 years,, so be it.
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