The Chaman-Spin Boldak border crossing, a vital link for millions of Pashtuns, remains closed on the Pakistan side, contradicting assurances made two days ago that it would reopen for movement using ID cards and Tazkiras. This development has further strained relations between local Pashtun communities and the occupied government.
For over nine months, thousands of Pashtuns have been protesting at the Chaman border against new documentation requirements imposed by Punjabi Pak Army. The new regime mandates passports for cross-border trade, replacing the previously accepted Tazkira system.
This major crossing point in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa is crucial for local traders who have historically relied on Tazkiras, simple paper slip permissions, for border crossings. The new regulations have also disrupted longstanding familial ties between communities on both sides of the border.
The Punjabi Pak authority failed to address the concerns adequately. The situation took a violent turn on June 6 when Punjabi Pak Army and Frontier Corps (FC) forces reportedly cracked down on peaceful Pashtun protesters that resulted in multiple Pashtun casualties, arrest and disappearance of dozens more.
The continued closure of the border crossing, despite official promises to the contrary, shows how the occupied Army is consistently deceiving the native Pashtun population with no clear resolution in sight.