QUETTA, Jan 11: The Pakistan-Afghanistan border at Chaman was closed on Thursday after a large number of Afghans living in Vesh, a business centre across the border, stoned the newly-built Friendship Gate, smashing windowpanes of several departments of Pakistan, and demanding the new system’s immediate abolishing.

According to reports reaching here, the Afghans were protesting against the newly-introduced Biometric Computerized Control System by Pakistan at its side of the border.

Pakistan has introduced the new system to check illegal border crossing.

A complete strike was observed in Vesh against the Pakistan government’s move.

The border was later reopened in the afternoon to facilitate women and children after negotiations between officials of Pakistan and Afghanistan

A Pakistani security official told Dawn by telephone that no-one would be allowed to cross the Pakistan-Afghan border without computerised pass.