Protesters block Spinboldak-Chaman Road for trucks

KANDAHAR CITY (Pajhwok): Protesters have blocked the Spinboldak-Chaman Road for trucks on the other side of the Durand Line in the Kogak area of Chaman district, an official said on Monday.

Mohammad Shafiq Achakzai, head of the Spinboldak District Chamber of Commerce, said that a sit-in continued in this area for the past eight months which intensified for the past three days.

He said last night Pakistani security personnel had fired at protesters and inflicted casualties on some people, in response protesters, had blocked the road on lorry trucks.

He said that protesters had informed truck drivers not to come to Chaman, they now blocked the road and it was uncertain when the road would be reopened.

Mand Wali, a protest organizer, told Pajhwok Afghan News, that Pakistani forces fired on protesters in which three protesters were killed and more than 20 others injured.

He said in response protesters blocked the Spinboldak-Chaman Road and some government institutions, including the Commissar office.

He said the protest would continue until Pakistan government step back from the implementation of passport and visa regime for cross movement.

Mand Wali said: “For the past 8 months we have this demand, we don’t accept passport, we are poor people, we do our work, we want the Chaman resident also not to go to Boldak whiel using passport, we are against passport and everybody we see we will tear his her passport.”

But Pakistani government often said that every individual crossing the Spinboldak-Chaman crossing should have a valid visa and passport.

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