Pakistani forces quell protests at Afghan border crossing
Aug 13, 2021: Pakistani security officials say Pakistani forces have clashed with hundreds of Afghans stranded on a commercially important border crossing with Afghanistan since the Taliban closed the border crossing.
Arif Kakar, a Pakistani official on the scene, told Reuters that the trouble began on Thursday when a 56-year-old Afghan passenger died of a heart attack while waiting in the dry heat to enter Afghanistan via the Chaman Spin Boldak crossing.
Protesters took his body to a local Pakistani government office to demand the reopening of the border. Some hurled stones at security forces, who retaliated by firing tear gas and using batons to disperse protesters. No injuries were reported.
Chaman Spin Boldak Crossing is Afghanistan’s second busiest entry point and an important trade artery along the Pakistani coast.
The Taliban, who seized the crossing last month as a major breakthrough in Afghanistan following the withdrawal of US-led foreign troops, protested Pakistan’s decision on August 6 to end visa-free travel for Afghans and closed the border.
The Taliban are demanding that Pakistan allow Afghans to cross the border with Afghan identity cards or Pakistani-issued refugee registration cards.
Taliban fighters have rapidly snatched territory from the Kabul government in recent weeks, including key border crossings with Iran and Central Asian countries that now provide the group with significant customs revenue.
Before the Taliban took over, about 900 trucks passed through the Chaman Spin Boldak crossing daily. Opening the border with Pakistan for visa-free travel will not only help the Taliban in favor of Afghans, but will also pave the way for areas of Pakistan where Taliban fighters and some commanders are stationed.
Pakistan and the Taliban have long had good relations, although Islamabad says it ended in 2001 after the US-led invasion of Afghanistan.
Western capitals and the Kabul government accuse Pakistan for its support for the Taliban and allege that many of its leaders enjoy safe haven in the country, a claim Islamabad vehemently denies.
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