Islamabad, Jan 11 (EFE).- Hundreds of protesters on Thursday continued their sit-in, which has been going on for nearly three months, near the Chaman border crossing between Pakistan and Afghanistan against the government’s new visa policy for traders involved in informal cross-border trade.
On Oct. 10, the federal government of Pakistan had announced its decision to make passports and visas mandatory for crossing the Pak-Afghan border.
Chaman is the second busiest border crossing between the two countries where protests and sit-ins have continued since the announcement.
“We demand free trade on the border as it was going on before the visa regime of the government,” Olus Yar Khan, a spokesman for protesters, told EFE on Thursday.
He underlined that the Durand Line, which marks the border between the two countries, is inhabited by people of the same tribes along both sides of the border, who are different from people living on any border in the world due to its location and culture.
“Our 30,000 to 40,000 people go from Chaman to Spin Boldak district of Afghanistan for business on a daily basis,” claimed Khan, who is also the senior vice president of the Chaman Chamber Of Commerce and Industry.
The trader claimed that thousands of families, their agricultural land and even graveyards have been divided as a result of the imposition of the new visa policy by Islamabad.
“Don’t snatch our bread and butter from us as we don’t have any other sources to make a living,” appealed Khan, adding that they would continue to demonstrate until their demands were met.
Khan said that there was a complete media blackout on the sit-in which has been ongoing since 85 days.
Earlier, there were no visa restrictions for those Afghans or Pakistanis who live along the border, and thousands of people from both the countries were involved in cross-border trade.
The government claimed its decision was aimed at preventing illegal border crossings and illicit trade.
The government of Pakistan’s Balochistan province, where Chaman is located, had earlier alleged that those protesting were involved in illegal smuggling which can’t be allowed.
“The government wants legal business because smuggling funds terrorism and provides financial benefits to 90 percent of smugglers and other networks,” a spokesman for the provincial government had said. EFE
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