In a disturbing turn of events, the ongoing protest in Chaman faced a violent crackdown as Pakistan FC forces attacked demonstrators, resulting in multiple casualties and further inflaming tensions in the region.
One of the killed include, a labourer Muhammad Ayub, who succumbed to injuries sustained during the Pakistan Army’s attack on the Chaman protest sit-in.
The protest, which has persisted for seven months, initially emerged in response to the imposition of the “one document regime,” which requires passports for cross-border travel, disrupting longstanding trade and familial ties between Pashtuns and Afghans living on both sides of the Durand Line.
The decision to mandate passports under the “one document regime” was a response to strained relations between Pakistan and the Afghan Taliban, but it has disproportionately impacted the native population, leading to economic hardships and discontent.
The recent attack on the Chaman protest marks the second such incident in seven months, highlighting the escalating tensions and the systematic targeting of Pashtun demonstrators. Manzoor Pashteen, the leader of the Pashtun Tahafuz Movement (PTM), condemned the attack as a deliberate massacre of Pashtuns, underscoring the gravity of the situation.
Furthermore, Baloch human rights activist Dr. Mahrang Baloch condemned the actions of the Pakistani Army and Frontier Corps (FC) personnel, denouncing the attack on the Chaman protest as a blatant violation of fundamental rights. Dr. Baloch called for the immediate redressal of the protestors’ grievances and an end to the violent suppression of dissent.