Quetta: Balochistan found itself cut off from the rest of Pakistan on Tuesday as all national highways were blocked in support of a long-standing protest in Chaman. Traders and daily wagers have been demonstrating for seven months against the border closure and the implementation of a one-document regime for movement between Pakistan and Afghanistan.
The Tehreek-i-Tahafuz Ayeen-i-Pakistan (TTAP), a six-party opposition alliance, called for the highway blockades in solidarity with the Chaman sit-in participants. These protesters, active since October last year, are demanding the withdrawal of the new passport and visa requirement for cross-border travel. They seek a return to the previous system, which allowed travel using the Pakistani National Identity Card and the Afghan ID card, known as Tazkira.
The impact of the blockade was widespread. Major highways, including Quetta-Chaman, Quetta-Zhob, Quetta-Dera Ghazi Khan, and Quetta-Karachi, along with roads connecting Balochistan to Karachi, Punjab, and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, were closed at various points. TTAP supporters erected barricades and placed large boulders on these highways, halting all forms of traffic.
As a result, hundreds of vehicles, including passenger coaches, buses, and trucks laden with import and export goods, were stranded. The Afghan transit trade also faced significant disruption as the Quetta-Chaman highway, a crucial link between Quetta and Kandahar, has been blocked for the past two weeks. Protesters have been preventing any large vehicles from crossing the border, leaving hundreds of trucks carrying Afghan transit trade goods stranded on both sides.
The blockade lasted throughout Tuesday, causing severe difficulties for passengers, including women and children, who were left stranded in the intense heat. However, by nightfall, TTAP workers and supporters removed the barricades and boulders, restoring traffic flow on the highways and roads.
Despite the extensive disruption, no untoward incidents were reported from any part of Balochistan during the blockade.
The protestors remain steadfast in their demand for the withdrawal of the new border crossing regulation and the reinstatement of the old system. As the region returns to normalcy, the larger issue of border regulations between Pakistan and Afghanistan remains unresolved, continuing to affect trade and travel for thousands.