Pakistan reopens Chaman border with Afghanistan
Rawalpindi, Pakistan: Pakistan has opened Friendship (FS) gate Chaman on humanitarian grounds in Ramazan on request from Afghan authorities, said a press statement issued here by Inter Service Public Relations (ISPR) of Pakistan Armed Forces.
Statement did not indicate would border be closed after the end of month of Ramadan or not?
Statement further said:
“After the Chaman incident, Pakistan has its area under effective control having pushed back Afghan Border police troops. Census has been completed in the Pakistani side of the divided villages. It has been agreed upon by Pakistan authorities that cease fire shall continue to be maintained and no border violation will be acceptable and Pakistani troops will maintain its positions along International Border in Killi Luqman and Killi Jahangir on Pakistani side of the border”.
Chaman border gate was closed down on May 5 when at least nine persons were martyred including three women and five children while more than 40 others injured when the Afghan border forces opened fire on Frontier Corps (FC) personnel guarding a Population Census team in Balochistan’s Chaman area. Later, forces from both sides also continued to exchange firing for hours.
A strong political lobby links with Pak-Afghan Transit Trade were working for opening of border as usual. It may be mentioned that Afghan forces attacked several time at Chaman as well as Torkham border and martyred dozens of civilians and Pakistani soldiers during the six months and Pakistan closed its borders with Afghanistan after such incidents. However, Park-Afghan borders were reopened on the pressure of political lobby as well as from Washington.
