Strike against closure of Chaman border

The crossing point was closed by Afghan government 17 days ago

QUETTA:

A complete shutter-down strike was observed in the border town of Chaman on Friday against the closure of Pak-Afghan border for over two weeks.

The border has been closed by the Afghan government which is demanding that Afghan nationals should be allowed visa-free entry into Pakistan via Chaman crossing. The Pakistani government refused to fulfill the demand on which the border was closed down two weeks ago as a mark of ‘protest’.

A call for the strike had been given by Traders Alliance, which also announced blocking Quetta-Chaman National Highway at Khojak Pass from Monday if their demands are not met.

Shops, markets and businesses remained closed in the border town as a result of the strike.

District administration told The Express Tribune that many rounds of negotiations between Afghan officials and Pakistani border authorities failed to solve the issue.

A delegation headed by Governor Kandahar Mullah Yousaf Wafa also held talks with Pakistani officials at Spin Buldak but Afghan authorities refused to open the border until the Afghan nationals are allowed to cross into Pakistan on Tezkera (Afghan CNIC) only and acceptance of some other demands.

“Pakistan has not closed its border with Afghanistan. It has been closed by administration of Kandahar province,” claimed a Pakistani official.

The leaders of Traders’ Alliance, including Lala Jan Achakzai a prominent member of Chamber of Commerce and Industry, and others said that due to the closure of border for the last 17 days the business community was facing huge financial losses as imports and exports between the two countries had been brought to a standstill and the prices of goods, including fresh fruits and vegetables, jumped up considerably.

“Thousands of labourers earn a living from the border trade who are now jobless,” he blamed, adding that several thousand Pakistani and Afghan nationals, including patients have also been left stranded at Chaman and waiting for opening of border to go back.

Traders support the demands of Afghan government which wants restriction-free and visa-free movement across the border for the nationals of both the countries.

They demanded that all the restrictions should be removed and people of both the countries should be allowed to cross the border on their national CNICs. They further demanded that unnecessary check posts should be removed and border should be opened round the clock.

They also demanded that a separate gate for the women should be established and the administrative powers of FIA should be restored and traders should be included in the negotiation team to hold talks with the Afghan authorities.

Published in The Express Tribune, October 23^rd, 2021.