CHAMAN, KABUL, JUL 23: The Spin Boldak – Chaman crossing has once again been closed to travelers by Pakistan for unclear reasons. Travelers and officials at this crossing have said that the travel restrictions at the Spin Boldak – Chaman crossing, as before, remain enforced by Pakistan.
According to them, Pakistan is not allowing travelers with identification cards and national ID cards to pass for unknown reasons.
“The gate is closed. The Taliban are letting people go, but the Pakistani military is not allowing people with ID cards and identification cards to pass,” said Janan, a traveler.
“They sent me back. My family was with me, but they did not allow us. We wasted our money for nothing,” said Ahmad Shah, another traveler.
Officials from the Spin Boldak district commission have also said that Pakistan, following an announcement yesterday, does not allow travelers with Pakistani ID cards and identification cards to pass without a passport and visa.
Aminullah, a representative of the Spin Boldak district commission in Kandahar, said: “Yesterday, Pakistan announced that it would allow people to pass based on ID cards and identification cards as before, but today it did not allow any traveler based on the mentioned documents. This problem is from Pakistan’s side.”
This comes after ten months of protests in Chaman, and the Pakistani government yesterday (Sunday) released the protest leaders from prison and lifted the restrictions at this crossing.
Pakistani officials have not yet commented on the re-closure of the Spin Boldak – Chaman crossing; however, some sources in Chaman have told TOLOnews that efforts to resume normal travel have begun.
