There’s still life at the Chaman border

Matiullah Achakzai Published August 19, 2014
Locals enjoy dog-fighting in a ground near Chaman border. Dog fighting is illegal in Pakistan but remains a popular recreation for the locals.
Locals enjoy dog-fighting in a ground near Chaman border. Dog fighting is illegal in Pakistan but remains a popular recreation for the locals.
Chaman tribesmen perform their traditional dance.
Chaman tribesmen perform their traditional dance.
Chaman’s main bazaar is a hub of activity.
Chaman’s main bazaar is a hub of activity.
An elderly man coming from Afghanistan goes through routine border security check by an officer.
An elderly man coming from Afghanistan goes through routine border security check by an officer.
Local authorities destroy poppy cultivation.
Local authorities destroy poppy cultivation.
Children play football in an empty land near Chaman border. Football has been popular in this region since 1940. Kaleemullah, who is the captain of the Pakistan team and one of the top strikers in the country, also belongs to Chaman.
Children play football in an empty land near Chaman border. Football has been popular in this region since 1940. Kaleemullah, who is the captain of the Pakistan team and one of the top strikers in the country, also belongs to Chaman.
Residents sit around a tea stall in a bazaar.
Residents sit around a tea stall in a bazaar.
The Friendship gate on Pak-Afghan border, which has witnessed a number of suicide blasts in the past, now looks serene with the decorations on special occasions.
The Friendship gate on Pak-Afghan border, which has witnessed a number of suicide blasts in the past, now looks serene with the decorations on special occasions.
Students at a seminary give exams.
Students at a seminary give exams.
A railway station in Chaman connects it to Kandahar, Afghanistan.
A railway station in Chaman connects it to Kandahar, Afghanistan.
Spectators press closer to see the red-legged partridge fight.
Spectators press closer to see the red-legged partridge fight.
An anti-polio medic vaccinates a child of an Afghan family at Chaman border linking it with Afghanistan. The cases of polio victims have risen in the region recently and the vaccination drives still continue.
An anti-polio medic vaccinates a child of an Afghan family at Chaman border linking it with Afghanistan. The cases of polio victims have risen in the region recently and the vaccination drives still continue.

Chaman, which literally translates to 'garden', is known for its important border which links it to Afghanistan and has been used by the NATO forces to send supplies in. But there are glimpses of normal life on this terror-struck region of Balochistan.

Read more

On DawnNews
Dawn News English
Comments (13) Closed
Khan
Aug 20, 2014 08:04am
Splendid Job.Keep it up..
Recommend 0
Zia Ur Rehman
Aug 20, 2014 09:26am
Excellent photography. Keep it up Matiullah
Recommend 0
Moiz Omar
Aug 20, 2014 02:05pm
I think they should close off our border with Afghanistan.
Recommend 0
Khuram Nisar
Aug 20, 2014 03:29pm
Excellent Job. Reminded me the trip to Kachlak, Quetta and Ziarat in 2001.
Recommend 0
Pak Rat
Aug 20, 2014 04:55pm
Beautiful country and good looking people.
Recommend 0
Abdul Malik
Aug 20, 2014 05:35pm
Images, that described the need, beauty, interest, like and keenly of success of the city in thousand words. Great work
Recommend 0
ivehadit
Aug 21, 2014 12:58am
excellent photographs. the bazaar scene and the rickshaw loading are classics.
Recommend 0
Buzz
Aug 21, 2014 02:59am
Good stuff.
Recommend 0
mohammadnoonnanna
Aug 21, 2014 10:48am
No match to PAKISTAN, excellent snaps from the border area. Portrays the real spirit of life among us.
Recommend 0
Jahanzeb Achakzai
Aug 21, 2014 06:55pm
Overall nice piece of collection. The collection depicts the social activities of the so-called area. The recreaion of dog fighting, however, is minimised to a great extent. Owing to the presence of media, lot of population is diverging towards the games of cricket, football etcetra. Furthermore, extremist elements are also on the rise and risingn of such elements ought to be controlled so that the peaceful Chaman might not turned into another waziristan.
Recommend 0
Dinesh
Aug 22, 2014 05:32pm
@Jahanzeb Achakzai Great pictures!!! It took me back o my home town In India Sri Ganganagar for our life of 35-40 year back....old people in our community migrated from Bhawalpur of Pakistan used to have similar social life......believe me we have progressed a lot in our life in India....i wish people of Afghanistan also make a good progress and live a colorful life
Recommend 0
Silajit
Aug 22, 2014 05:47pm
No women! Nice!!!
Recommend 0
Ganga Din
Aug 22, 2014 07:56pm
Real People.
Recommend 0

Latest Stories

dawn images site

Most Popular

01
02
03
04
05
06
07
08
09

Must Read

Opinion

Editorial

Plugging the gap
06 May, 2024

Plugging the gap

IN Pakistan, bias begins at birth for the girl child as discriminatory norms, orthodox attitudes and poverty impede...
Terrains of dread
Updated 06 May, 2024

Terrains of dread

Restored faith in the police is unachievable without political commitment and interprovincial support.
Appointment rules
Updated 06 May, 2024

Appointment rules

If the judiciary had the power to self-regulate, it ought to have exercised it instead of involving the legislature.
Hasty transition
Updated 05 May, 2024

Hasty transition

Ostensibly, the aim is to exert greater control over social media and to gain more power to crack down on activists, dissidents and journalists.
One small step…
05 May, 2024

One small step…

THERE is some good news for the nation from the heavens above. On Friday, Pakistan managed to dispatch a lunar...
Not out of the woods
05 May, 2024

Not out of the woods

PAKISTAN’S economic vitals might be showing some signs of improvement, but the country is not yet out of danger....