QUETTA: Despite weeks-long protests by locals, traders and political parties, the government has started the implementation of new visa regime on the Chaman border crossing with Afghanistan.

In November, the national apex committee, comprising civil and military officials, decided that only those with valid passports and visas would be allowed to cross the border. Earlier, Pakistanis and Afghans would cross the border upon showing either Pakistani or Afghan national identity card.

The decision led to a sit-in, with the protesters claiming it would hurt nearly 40,000 people who depend on daily border crossings for their livelihoods.

Balochistan Inform­ation Minister Jan Achakzai has confirmed the development and said the new rules have been implemented despite “pressure from different quarters, including political parties”.

Minister says more centres set up to issue passports

He said all arrangements were already in place for the new policy, and intending travellers were visiting passport offices in Chaman, Qila Abdullah and other areas for new passports. “The Chaman passport office has issued over 1,000 tokens to applicants who applied for the passport,” Mr Achakzai told Dawn, adding that 200 passports have already been delivered.

The passport facilities have been improved, and more centres opened up for timely delivery, the minister added.

He said a one-time permission has been granted to Afghans who arrived in Chaman on Tazkira to enter their country.

Upon their return to Pakistan, they will have to show a passport and visa, he told Dawn.

Meanwhile, the Pakistan Poverty Alleviation Fund has initiated the distribution of productive livelihood assets to Afghan refugee families under a UNHCR-funded programme.

Currently in its fourth phase, the programme is committed to empowering over 3,000 Afghan refugee families residing in six refugee camps in Nowshera, Quetta, Pishin, and Islamabad.

Published in Dawn, November 17th, 2023

Opinion

Editorial

Seeking investment
Updated 01 Nov, 2024

Seeking investment

Foreign visits will be fruitless unless crucial structural, policy reforms directly affecting investors are focused.
State-backed terror
01 Nov, 2024

State-backed terror

OVER the past year or so, India’s reportedly malign activities in foreign countries have increasingly come under the radar, with
Shared crisis
01 Nov, 2024

Shared crisis

WITH Lahore experiencing unprecedented levels of smog, the Punjab government has announced a series of “green...
Property valuation
Updated 31 Oct, 2024

Property valuation

Market valuation rates will not help boost tax revenues without plugging such loopholes in the system.
Hitting a wall
31 Oct, 2024

Hitting a wall

PAKISTAN still has a long way to go in defeating polio. Despite our decades-long fight against the debilitating...
Kurram violence
31 Oct, 2024

Kurram violence

DESPITE years of intermittent and bloody conflict in Kurram, the state has been unable to bring lasting peace to ...