Afghanistan Times
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Kabul: Protesters staging a sit-in at a key border-crossing point in southwestern Pakistan near the Afghanistan border allege that security forces have opened fire on them, resulting in one death and several injuries. Sadiq Achakzai, a spokesperson for the protests in Balochistan Province’s Chaman district, reported that local security forces raided the demonstrators’ camp and set fire to their tents while they were absent. Upon their return, members of Pakistan’s Frontier Corps allegedly opened fire on the peaceful protesters. Achakzai stated that one person was killed, and more than a dozen were injured, with victims rushed to a nearby hospital. Videos purportedly showing victims at the hospital were shared on social media, but their authenticity could not be independently verified by RFE/RL. In response to inquiries, Colonel Abdul Wahab, a spokesperson for the Frontier Corps in Balochistan, stated that an investigation into the alleged incident was underway. The protests, ongoing since October, have been sparked by new travel restrictions imposed by the government, requiring traders to present valid documents to cross the border. Pakistan’s decision to end the century-old “Easement Rights” arrangement, allowing certain communities to cross the border freely, has drawn criticism from Pashtun communities on both sides, who argue that it has adversely affected their livelihoods. The policy has also faced criticism from the Taliban’s de facto government in Kabul, leading to the closure of the Chaman border crossing and others, which are crucial for trade between Pakistan and Afghanistan.
