QUETTA: A Pashtun tribal jirga urged the government to reopen the Pak-Afghan border crossing in Chaman to facilitate thousands of travellers, including traders, who are stranded in Afghanistan following the closure of the international border in the wake of the October clashes.
Amanullah Khan and Malik Abdul Khaliq Lala Ghabizai, the tribal elders, addressing a press conference on Tuesday, said that trade had been suspended for the past two months, bringing all business activities in the border region to a standstill.
“Pakistanis stranded in Afghanistan are not allowed by the authorities concerned to return to Pakistan,” Malik Ghabizai said, adding that such a situation was causing humanitarian concerns. He demanded that those stranded on the other side of the border be allowed to return home without any delay.
The tribal elders said thousands of people who travelled on valid passports and visas had been stranded in Afghanistan for several weeks, adding that many travellers’ legal documents had also expired, compounding their difficulties.
Similarly, thousands of trucks carrying household belongings of migrants are stuck at the border. The drivers and cleaners are facing severe shortages of food and have been left without any source of livelihood, leaving their families back home in dire conditions.
The jirga leaders also alleged that people are subjected to humiliation and extortion at 22 checkpoints between Chaman and Quetta, terming the practice highly condemnable. They urged the authorities to allow residents of Chaman to travel freely to their area and remove the checkpoints. The elders also announced that a three-day Pashtun National Jirga would be convened to highlight issues faced by residents of Chaman and other districts.
