Blockade of Pak-Afghan border, problems of Balochistan government

SOURCE: SAMAA

Blockade of Pak-Afghan border, problems of Balochistan government

Hundreds of freight trucks are trapped on both sides of the border as the Pak-Afghan border closes to prevent the spread of the Coronavirus.

More than 800 Pakistani drivers are trapped in Spin Boldak, Afghanistan's border town, said DW correspondent Abdul Ghani Kakar from Quetta. These people went to Afghanistan with merchandise but could not return due to border closure.

"For nearly three weeks, four border lanes, including the Chaman border in Balochistan Province, have been completely closed for transport and public transportation," Balochistan government spokesman Liaquat Shahwani told DW. '

He said that the Tftan border with Iran was opened for a few hours and the border with Afghanistan for two days in the direction of the Prime Minister, but after that, all the borders were closed again.

From March 1, the Pakistani government announced the closure of the Chaman and Torkham border crossings with Afghanistan and the closure of the Wagah border with India.

Zahidullah, a member of the Afghan Transit Standing Committee, says the closure of borders could cost traders several billion rupees.

Balochistan Home Department officials say a quarantine center is being set up in the border city of Chaman and once the center becomes operational, people trapped in Afghanistan will be allowed to return to Pakistan.

Balochistan Home Minister Ziaullah told DW, "At a meeting two days ago, it was decided to bring back the Pakistanis stranded on the border and allow the trapped Afghan nationals to return." Talks with Afghan officials are ongoing in this regard. ”

Liaquat Shahwani told DW that the Balochistan government is facing severe difficulties in fighting the Coronavirus outbreak. He said, "Only two laboratories in Balochistan can test for coronavirus diagnosis. One is in Quetta and one is in Titan. These laboratories are capable of doing eight hundred tests per day but due to lack of test kits, they are not able to do so many tests. "

He said that till now the Balochistan government has tested 2,000 people who reached Pakistan from the Tufan border. Most of them have been sent to their provinces. Liaquat Shahwani added that it is difficult to say how long the border with Afghanistan will remain closed.

Until the closure of Pakistan's borders with both Iran and Afghanistan, thousands of people traveled daily to visit therapeutics, businesses or religious sites.


Source: DW