(Publish from Houston Texas USA)
Chaman (Syed Sardar Muhammad Khondai Bureau Chief)
Hundreds of sports club athletes march through Chaman, demanding immediate reopening of the Pak-Afghan border.
On Monday, in the border city of Chaman, various sports clubs and hundreds of athletes organized a protest demonstration against the closure of the Chaman Pak-Afghan border. The participants marched through different roads of the city, chanting slogans and demanding that the Chaman Pak-Afghan border be immediately reopened for movement and trade.
While addressing a press conference at the Chaman Press Club, Baba-e-Sports Muhammad Ali Madala said that District Chaman in Balochistan holds a recognized position in the world of sports. He stated that most of the athletes belong to poor families, and their only source of livelihood was bringing and purchasing small goods on a daily basis through the Chaman Pak-Afghan border. Unfortunately, due to the closure, even those associated with sports are now facing severe hardships in life.
He further said that thousands of people are stranded across the border despite having Pakistani documents and have not been able to return home for the past four months. Now that educational institutions have reopened, they are facing extreme difficulties. Due to unemployment, the respectable people of the area are becoming increasingly distressed.
He appealed to the Chief of Army Staff, Chief of Defense Forces, President of Pakistan, Prime Minister, Chief Minister of Balochistan, Corps Commander Balochistan, and the district administration to immediately reopen the Chaman Pak-Afghan border so that the prevailing anxiety among the public can be reduced.
Chaman, which is also known as “Little Brazil” in Pakistan because of its strong football culture, has gained fame for the sport. However, due to the border closure, economic activities in the city have been severely affected. Local players stated that cross-border trade and movement are the main sources of employment in the area, and the closure of Bab-e-Dosti Gate is impacting thousands of families.
The protesters demanded that the government reopen the border gate on humanitarian and economic grounds so that young people can access employment opportunities and continue participating in positive activities, including sports, while sustaining their livelihoods.
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