QUETTA: Pakistan on Monday closed its border with Afghanistan for another seven days as a precautionary measure against spread of coronavirus.

The border at Chaman was closed on Monday last for one week as coronavirus has also affected people in Afghanistan.

As trucks carrying Liquefied Petroleum Gas and other commodities were allowed to enter Pakistan on Saturday last, members of the business community were hoping for opening of the border and resumption of trade activities, Nato supplies and the Afghan transit trade, but the federal government decided to extend the closure of border for another week.

Commandant of Frontier Corps in Chaman Col Rashid Siddique said: “The border with Afghanistan will remain closed till next Monday.”

He told a meeting held in Chaman and attended by senior officials, representatives of the Chamber of Commerce and Industry and tribal elders that the federal government would take a decision to allow the people stranded on both sides of the border to return to their countries.

Published in Dawn, March 10th, 2020