As thousands of protesters blocked the transit route in Pakistan’s southwestern Balochistan province, trade between Pakistan and Afghanistan via the Chaman border crossing continued to remain at a standstill for a third consecutive day. Pakistan’s interim administration decided to introduce a strict visa and passport policy along its frontier with Afghanistan since November 1, intent on monitoring unauthorized cross-border movement between the two nations.
The development followed a deportation drive against unregistered foreigners, mostly Afghans, which was announced last month amid security concerns caused by a string of militant attacks and suicide bombings.
Thousands of local tribesmen and traders decided to set up a protest camp in Chaman after Balochistan’s provincial administration started implementing the new visa and passport policy.
Hundreds of trucks loaded with fruits and vegetables regularly cross through the Pak-Afghan friendship gate at Chaman. Since the closure of the transit route, a large number of trucks can now be seen parked near the Customs House in Chaman.
Source: arabnews.pk