KABUL and stranded people on both sides have started traveling, an official said on Wednesday.
Mohammad Sharif Gharzai, in charge of Spinboldk Commissar, told Pajhwok Afghan News that Pakistan opened Spinbold-Chaman crossing at around 1:00pm.
He said Afghans could travel on the bases of Tazkera while Pakistanis could travel on the bases of their National Identity Cards.
He, however, said it was not ascertain that the crossing would remain open for how many days, adding that Pakistan closed it from the past six months due to the spread of coronavirus.
A well-place source said that the Chaman-Spinboldak crossing has been reopened only for two days so that stranded people on both sides could travel to their countries.
Another reason for the months-long closure of the crossing could be Pakistan’s willingness that people traveling on the crossing should possess a vialed visa and passport.
The move has sparked protest on both sides of the crossing and sit-in protest was underway across the Durand Line against Pakistan new rules.
Niyaz Mohammad Sarhadi, a tribal elder, said Pakistan illegally closed the Chaman-Spinboldak crossing from the past six month and imposed new restrictions which caused several problems for the people.
He said tribal people living on both sides have friendship and family ties with one another since decades and always traveled without passport and visa which is their basic right therefore introducing passport for travelling was against the norms.
Around 20,000 people daily travel on Chaman-Spinboldak crossing daily and it is the largest crossing for transit and trade in the south.
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