Chaman border reopens as Pakistan reverses visa policy

PESHAWAR – The Pakistani government has reversed the visa policy earlier implemented for the Chaman border crossing as months-long protests finally led to successful negotiations.

The Chaman border crossing between Pakistan and Afghanistan reopened on Sunday after a 10-month closure as the protesters’ demands were accepted.

The protest concluded after eight rounds of negotiations, with the government finally agreeing to the demands of Chaman residents.

In this regard, Olas Yar Khan of the Perlat Committee confirmed that public movement between Chaman and the Afghan town of Boldak has returned to normal.

“Our committee leaders have been released, and border movement between Chaman and Boldak is back to normal,” Khan stated.

Announcing the government’s decision, former interim home minister Inayatullah Kasi, said that people can now travel using their ID cards and Afghan Tazkira as before.

The severity of the issue could be gauged from the fact that the Chaman border is a critical international crossing, connecting Chaman with Afghanistan’s Spin Boldak district in Kandahar province. Rough estimates imply that around 10,000 people cross the border daily for trade in Wesh, Afghanistan.

A deadlock prevailed when the Pakistani government in October 2023 made it compulsory to have passports and visas for cross-border travel, citing security concerns. Hundreds of truckers were also left stranded at border when the policy was announced.

This policy, decided by the national apex committee of top civil and military leaders, faced strong opposition from Chaman residents, political and religious groups, and traders, who demanded a return to the previous ID card system. The Afghan Taliban also insisted that Afghan territory was not being used for terrorism in Pakistan.

At the same time, a crackdown was also launched against illegal immigrants with Afgahnss perceiving it as an operation targeting them.  

The protests and negotiations have finally led to the reversal of the policy and locals have praised the development, saying it will improve bilateral relations and aid economic recovery, Express Tribune reported. 

Meanwhile, Afghan Taliban officials stated that travel to Boldak would remain suspended until the central government clarified its position.