Honour commitments made with previous Afghan govt, Taliban tell Pakistan

KANDAHAR/QUETTA: Trade, as well as pedestrian movement, was blocked by the Taliban authorities along the Chaman-Spin Boldak crossing on Tuesday morning.

According to Afghan media reports, the move was announced in advance on Monday night. The Kandahar governor said that all kinds of movement on the border had been stopped in protest against Pakistan for not honoring its commitments made with the previous Kabul administration. He said that traders and people living on both sides of the border were facing difficulties because of severe restrictions imposed by Pakistan.

Detailing reservations, he said that people holding Pakistani documents were allowed unrestrained access while people bearing documents issued by the current Afghan authorities were not allowed freedom of movement.

Taliban officials had placed cement blocks barring all kinds of movement from the ‘Bab-e-Dosti’ (Friendship Gate). Restrictions on movement caused a large number of people, including traders, to be stranded on both sides.

A member of the Chaman Chamber of Commerce, Abdul Nafay Jan Achakzai, said that Pakistani traders were facing huge losses because of the blockage. He said that local traders had bought various perishable items, including fresh fruits. The fruit, he said, would rot if they were not allowed to move their merchandise immediately. He maintained that only negotiations would yield positive results.