Chaman border opens after 10 months

The Chaman border crossing between Pakistan and Afghanistan reopened on Sunday following a 10-month closure after the federal government accepted the demands put forth by the protesters who were holding a sit-in there, officials and protest leaders said.

The protest ended following eight rounds of negotiations after which the Pakistani government finally agreed to the demands of Chaman residents. Olas Yar Khan of the Perlat Committee later confirmed that public movement between Chaman and the Afghan town of Boldak was back to normal.

“[Our] committee leaders have been released, and border movement between Chaman and Boldak is back to normal,” Khan said. “People can now travel using their ID [identity] cards and Afghan Tazkira as before”, former interim home minister Inayatullah Kasi added, announcing the government’s decision.

The Chaman border is a major international border crossing between Afghanistan and Pakistan. It connects Chaman with Spin Boldak district of Afghanistan’s Kandahar province. Reports had suggested that around 10,000 people cross the border on a daily basis for trade in Wesh, Afghanistan.

The Afghan Taliban captured the border point on July 14, 2021, one month before their arrival in capital Kabul while the Western forces pulled out of the country after 20 years of war. The border gate remains open from morning till sunset.

The situation became tense here in October 2023 after the government, citing security concerns, imposed the requirement of presenting passports and visas for the cross-border travel. The decision had been taken last year by the national apex committee, which comprised top civil and military leadership.

However, the policy faced backlash from Chaman residents, political and religious groups, and traders, who demanded the return to the previous ID card system. The Afghan Taliban had also insisted that Afghan territory was not being used for terrorism inside Pakistan.

The reversal of the visa policy has been praised by the locals, who said that it would improve bilateral relations and help in economic recovery. Former Federation of Pakistan Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FPCCI) President Daru Khan Achakzai urged the government to continue the ID cards policy.

Meanwhile, the Afghan Taliban officials stated that travel to Boldak would remain suspended until the central government clarified its position. Balochistan Interior Minister Mir Zia Lango and government spokesperson Shahid Rind were unavailable for comment, despite attempts to contact them.