Rising Geopolitical Strain: Afghan ban on Pakistani CNICs adds fuel to the fire
• The situation on the Pak-Afghan border is heading towards tension
• Afghan government retaliates, bans Pakistanis from using identity cards on Pak-Afghan border
In retaliation to the ban by Pakistani, the Afghan government has also stopped the temporary employment local Laghri trade package on Pak-Afghan border.
In a strong reaction to the deportation of Afghan refugees and tightening of traditional movement on Bab Dosti, the Interim Government of the Taliban has banned the entry of Pakistani citizens into Afghanistan and banned the entry of local workers into Afghanistan via Pak-Afghan border.
In this regard, the Afghan government also discontinued the temporary employment local Laghri trade facility. Similarly, Pakistanis going on CNICs (Computerized National Identity Cards) have been banned from entering Afghanistan via the Pak-Afghan border. Meanwhile, the levies foiled an attempt by the Pakistanis to protest, after which the trade of thousands of Pakistanis in Spin Boldak has been largely affected.
In a meeting between various political parties, various trade unions, social and tribal organizations of Chaman and the administration, the officials assured to convey the demands to the federation as well as warned the participants that action would be taken if they were involved in any illegal activity during the protest, while the evacuation of Afghan citizens continued through Pak-Afghan border.
The situation on the Pak-Afghan border is heading towards tension with the start of implementation of the decisions of the National Action Plan by the federal government and the deadline approaching towards Oct 31.
Pakistan’s decisions are unilateral and impractical: Spin Boldak Police Chief
On Monday, Mahmood Akhund, Police Chief of Spin Boldak first time lashed out by saying, “Pakistan’s decisions on borders without taking us into confidence are unilateral and impractical.” In response to Pakistan’s hasty forbidding the movement of Afghans on Afghan identity document traditional paper Tazkera, the Afghan government has also banned the movement of Pakistanis on their identity cards, Akhund said. “We cannot allow them to travel unilaterally on identity cards. Our country has been at war for 40 years. In talks with Pakistani officials, decisions to gradually resolve border issues are suddenly changed. We do not have the resources to make computerized Afghan cards or passports for all our citizens. It is not us but Pakistan that has taken the initiative to create problems on the border.”
On the other hand, UNHCR sources told the Daily Jang that thousands of citizens on both sides are stranded due to the recent new travel restrictions on Bab Dosti. The Afghan interim government has closed the entry of 5,000 to 10,000 Pakistanis going to the border districts of Spin Boldak and Kandahar on a daily basis, while Pakistani border authorities have closed the entry of Afghans without Afghan computerized cards for medical treatment, business activities, and meeting their relatives.
60 Afghan prisoners released from Karachi on completion of sentence
On the other hand, 60 Afghan prisoners were released from different jails of Karachi on completion of their sentences. The prisoners were sent from Karachi to Chaman by the Afghan Embassy. The Afghans were arrested for violating the Foreign Act.
Bus service to Chaman to send Afghan nationals back home
Assembly points should be set up in Karachi and Sukkur, Sindh Home Department instructed commissioners
The Sindh government has also become active against illegal Afghan citizens and other foreigners. The home department has written a letter to commissioners across Sindh. The letter said that the records of illegal foreigners should be compiled at the division and district level and arrangements should be finalized for sending back foreign nationals. With this, assembly points should be made in Karachi and Sukkur for foreigners. The letter states that a bus service should be arranged up to Chaman to send Afghan citizens back home, how much budget will be needed in terms of assembly points, transport and security should be estimated.
It may be recalled that illegal Afghans were given a deadline by the Pakistani government to leave the country by October 31. If they do not leave Pakistan by October 31, the law enforcement agencies will ensure arrest and deportation.
