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QUETTA: Nato supplies, Afghan transit trade and business activities on both sides of the border remained suspended on the third consecutive day on Sunday as Pakistan kept the border with Afghanistan closed.
Pakistan shut the border at Chaman on Friday after an Afghan mob burnt a Pakistani flag and attacked the Friendship Gate on Thursday.
A flag meeting between border officials of the two countries failed to resolve the matter on Saturday. The meeting was held at the Friendship Gate at the request of Afghan officials.
Official sources said that Pakistani border authorities refused to open the border with Afghanistan in Chaman.
They asked Afghan officials to tender an apology for burning of the Pakistani flag on their side of the border close to the Friendship Gate.
The sources said that Afghan authorities were sending messages to Pakistan to reopen the border to resume Nato and Afghan transit trade supplies.
Long queues of Nato containers and transit trade trucks could be seen on both sides of the border.
The people living on both sides of the border were also facing great difficulties because of the border closure.
Fruit and other food items could not reach Chaman from Afghanistan, causing problems for the area people whose livelihood depends on selling food items coming from Afghanistan.
Published in Dawn, August 22nd, 2016
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Comments (38) Closed
Aug 22, 2016 08:44am
There comes a point that a country has to start respecting itself. This is Pakistan's time
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Aug 22, 2016 09:13am
Do not open the border. Let their empty stomachs bring them back to senses. Let them realize the difference between reality and myth.
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Aug 22, 2016 09:17am
Very good move.. We can make USA to dole out a handsome charity on pretext of our hurt sentiments..
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Aug 22, 2016 09:21am
This is the reason we must have good relationship all our neighbours and not just one
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Aug 22, 2016 09:33am
we only give respect to those who respect us.
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Aug 22, 2016 09:37am
Alternate route to Afghanistan is available via Iran.
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Aug 22, 2016 09:43am
Indians are with Afghans
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Aug 22, 2016 09:45am
Not just chaman but close all borders crossings with Afghanistan.
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Aug 22, 2016 09:57am
@Maverik It is bad for both country. Pak won't get vegetables/fruits on same price and AFG won't get wheat. Though AFG has some other options but PAK cannot get cheap fruits and vegetables from other countries. Many hospitals are about to close in Peshawar due to border issue.
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Aug 22, 2016 09:58am
@Pavan - Bangalore Sorry Dude...I am an Afghan and we hate India..!!! I would request my Pakistani brothers to sit and address the issue amicably.
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Aug 22, 2016 10:00am
@Pavan - Bangalore Yes you are right Indians are with Afghanistan but too bad the Afghan Border is not with India.
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Aug 22, 2016 10:02am
Let world know what a Pakistni is, keep it up Pakistan.
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Aug 22, 2016 10:17am
This will only fuel more hatred for Pakistan in Afghanistan
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Aug 22, 2016 10:24am
@Tejaswi India should be happy
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Aug 22, 2016 10:29am
indian people are very nice same with afghans.the problem is there leaders .when will this sub contienent learn that there is more it than becoming puppets of west.
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Aug 22, 2016 10:31am
Only poor traders are suffering on both sides of the border because of the stupidity of a mob and the ego of two countries. Give us (the public) a break from this drama. seriously.
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Aug 22, 2016 10:52am
Daily drama, getting boring now.
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Aug 22, 2016 11:09am
@ALI
Good one!
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Aug 22, 2016 11:40am
it is the basic right of a land locked country to get access to international market .. Afghanis have to approach UN..
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Aug 22, 2016 11:52am
@Pavan - Bangalore , That is why Afghanistan is suffering.
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Aug 22, 2016 11:54am
@varghese Then why is India not giving the same right to Nepal, another landlocked country that has been bullied and tortured by India's imperialistic policies for the past several decades? Nepal should approach the UN first.
Talking of UN, if India had any respect for international law it would conduct a plebiscite in Jammu & Kashmir as asked by the UN in 1948 when India approached the latter herself? Hypocrite much?
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Aug 22, 2016 12:02pm
@varghese, There are no basic right for the landlocked country when they burn the Flag.
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Aug 22, 2016 12:34pm
@Afghan you should talk to your Afghan government who has invested in so much hate against Pakistan
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Aug 22, 2016 12:46pm
@ALI Did you check the google map ?
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Aug 22, 2016 12:47pm
Good Job, let Afghans compare the few million Indian dollars with cost of not using Pakistani trade routes.
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Aug 22, 2016 12:49pm
@P.K. Shome And route via Iran will fetch expensive goods for Afghans who already have weak purchase potential.
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Aug 22, 2016 12:50pm
Let the trade pass through Iran and let India and Afghanistan understand the reality about cost. I hope this act of Pakistan will help our neighbors to come out of filmy environment.
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Aug 22, 2016 01:03pm
@Sosorry couple of year, Afgan, Iran will use chabbar port. Thanks Pakistan. Pakistan themselves are giving option to the world.
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Aug 22, 2016 01:21pm
Pakistan can not resist NATO and it has to open the border. It is not in the spirit of good neighbourhood to spoil relations. Pakistan is isolated with poor relations with its neighbours. Its wrong policies made friends enemies.
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Aug 22, 2016 01:25pm
@Rahul "couple of year, Afgan, Iran will use chabbar port. Thanks Pakistan. Pakistan themselves are giving option to the world" this will be blessing in disguise because this so-called Afghan trade has literally destroyed local industry and it has been a main cause of smuggling of foreign goods in Pakistan secondly Afghans are draining cheap goods of daily use (e.g. Flour, Ghee, Sugar, tea etc) from Pakistan and hence making it costlier for local people once their route is permanently blocked people of Pakistan will get these items at their actual price
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Aug 22, 2016 01:27pm
@P.K. Shome They are welcome to use that.
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Aug 22, 2016 03:07pm
@Pavan - Bangalore If Indians are with Afghanistan then they should take all the refugees from Pakistan and take care of them
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Aug 22, 2016 03:09pm
@GS Have you checked Pak Afghan map its more 1000 years Old.
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Aug 22, 2016 04:49pm
@Kamal Pasha. ...pakistan invested heavily in afghanistan. Closing border with afghanistan might be at our loss and not a good diplomac . It only leads to more hostile western neighbour . ultimately afghanistan will get what it wants either with pakistan or without pakistan.
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Aug 22, 2016 06:58pm
@Zak why do you have a beggar mentality, US is giving India enough freebies. How will this help you.
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Aug 23, 2016 07:52pm
do not open the border until and unless Afghanistan does not ask forgiveness officially ! It is a thankless nation and Pakistan should not be a friend of Afghanistan. Friendship with Afghanistan is a danger for Pakistan !
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Aug 24, 2016 05:33am
@Rahul , The Chabahar route into afghanistan is in taliban controlled area, HAHAH
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Aug 25, 2016 01:01pm
@Ali Afghans will stay in Pakistan because we love them as our brothers over 5 millions have been living with us for all these years, where are they going to go. This is their home dost. No hate for anyone, but a action of few misguided people. Pakistan Zindabad!
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