In Chaman, a border city in Balochistan, the Dharna Committee has announced the resumption of protests, accusing the government of Pakistan of failing to fulfil its promises regarding the movement of goods and people across the Afghan border. This comes after a previous protest that started in October last year ended 18 days ago, following negotiations that seemed to promise the restoration of old movement practices.
The protest, led by the Laghri (labor) Union and the Laghri Traders Union, is a response to the imposition of passport requirements for cross-border travel between Pakistan and Afghanistan. Previously, individuals could travel using Pakistani identity cards and Afghan Tazkira (identity cards). However, a decision made by the interim government of Pakistan last October mandated passports for all border crossings, leading to widespread unrest in Chaman.
Trade leader Sadiq Achakzai, alongside Laghri Union head Ghous Ullah and other leaders, held a press conference in Chaman to address the issue. Achakzai criticized the broken promises made during previous negotiations, which had assured the restoration of movement based on old practices. He expressed frustration that the new regulations still restrict border movement, requiring Afghan Tazkira holders to be dropped off only at the parking area near the Friendship Gate.
The protest leaders stated that they expect the authorities who negotiated with them to fulfill their promises. They demand that the government allow border crossing based on Pakistani identity cards and Afghan Tazkira as was previously the practice. If these demands are not met, they warn that the protests will not only continue but will also escalate until their conditions are addressed.
Achakzai and his colleagues have vowed to intensify their protests, asserting that the government has deceived them. They are currently consulting with political parties to determine whether to resume the protest at the original site or relocate it.
The protest has had significant implications, affecting daily trade and transit between Pakistan and Afghanistan. The previous demonstration, which was the longest in Chaman’s history, saw large daily turnouts, reflecting strong local support.
Security officials have stated that the one-document regime (passport requirement) remains in place, allowing only registered local laborers to use identity cards for crossing at the Friendship Gate. Afghan laborers are permitted only up to the taxi stand on the Pakistani side.
The protests had severely affected trade between Pakistan and Afghanistan, as well as Afghan transit trade. In late May, violence during the protests led to the arrest of several leaders from the Labor Union and Trader’s Union, who were then handed over to the crimes branch of the Police.
During their detention, negotiations reportedly took place, resulting in the release of the arrested leaders. On July 21, the released leaders, accompanied by former caretaker Interior Minister Malik Inayatullah Kasi, returned to the protest site and announced the end of the protest, stating that all demands had been met.