After 9 months sit-in protest, the demands of Chaman’s residents have been met, leading to the restoration of the old border system. This significant development comes amid ongoing discontent over new border regulations imposed by the Punjabi Pak establishment.
Inayat Kasi, who played a key role as a mediator between the protest leaders and the government, announced from the protest stage that cross-border movement using identity cards and passports would resume immediately. He confirmed that the demands of the protesters had been accepted, leading to the reimplementation of the previous border system.
Notably, lakhs of Pashtuns had been protesting at the Chaman border for over nine months. Their protest was driven by the Pak establishment’s imposition of a new one-document regime, which replaced the previously functional Tazkira system with mandatory passports for trade across the Durand Line. This major crossing in Pak-occupied Balochistan is vital for local traders who previously used Tazkira (a paper slip permission) for border crossing. Additionally, familial ties between communities on both sides of the border have been disrupted by the new regulations.
The protest highlighted the lack of measures taken to address these issues, with a significant portion of the Pakistan-controlled media neglecting the massive demonstration, seemingly waiting for it to subside. The situation escalated when the Pak Army and Frontier Corps (FC) forces launched crackdowns on peaceful Pashtun protesters. On June 6, these actions resulted in the deaths of many Pashtuns and the arrest and disappearance of dozens more.
With the successful conclusion of negotiations, protest leaders have announced the end of the sit-in, and border business activities are set to resume as before. The resolution marks a critical moment in addressing the grievances of the local Pashtun community and restoring their traditional cross-border practices.