QUETTA: Trade between Pakistan and Afghanistan via the Chaman border crossing remained suspended for the fourth consecutive day on Friday, as the participants of a sit-in being held against the strict visa regime continued to block the highway leading to Kandahar.

Thousands of traders, workers of different political parties and members of civil society have been staging the sit-in on the Quetta-Chaman highway for over a month against the government’s decision to regularise the crossing between Pakistan and Afghanistan through a one-document regime.

This decision was taken by the National Apex Committee last month. Pakistan enforced the new border crossing policy on Nov 1. The border authorities at Chaman refused to allow anyone to cross the Pak-Afghan border without a passport and valid visa from both sides.

The traders’ alliance has asked the federal government to withdraw its one-document regime policy and allow the people of Chaman and Afghan district Spin-Boldak to continue crossing the border using their respective national identity cards.

The protesters blocked the main highway in Chaman by putting barricades and hurdles, suspending all kinds of trade between Pakistan and Afghanistan through Friendship Gate — the authorised border crossing between Chaman and Spin-Boldak.

Senior officials of the federal and Balochistan governments, including ex-Quetta corps commander Lt Gen Asif Ghafoor, held negotiations with the leadership of the traders’ alliance and tribal elders of the area and informed them that the government had decided to regularise international borders by introducing the one-document regime for crossing the border.

However, efforts made by the authorities, including the Chaman administration, failed to make any headway and the highway blockade continued.

Customs officials in Chaman also confirmed the suspension of Afghan transit and other trade between the two countries. A large number of trucks loaded with Afghan transit trade and other goods were stuck on both sides of the border and waiting for the opening of the highway.

Local administration officials said the government has no plan to withdraw the one-document regime for border crossings.

People have started applying for passports in Chaman and Qila Abdullah offices, the officials added.

Published in Dawn, November 25th, 2023