Passport regime enforced on Chaman border: district official

CHAMAN: The Pakistan government has decided to restrict crossing on Pak-Afghan border to only those with valid passports and visas, from November 1st (today).

Deputy Commissioner of the border district has said that the passport regime has been enforced for border crossing.

“The border crossing will only be allowed on passport,” DC Raja Athar Abbas has said. “People must avoid travelling to the border without valid passports and visas,” district official added.

The government has made valid passports and visas mandatory for crossing Pak-Afghan border, effective from November 1 (today).

Authorities earlier announced that after October 31, no one will be allowed to cross the Pak-Afghan border using a Pakistani identity card or Afghan permit (Tazkira).

Officials warn that people who are in the country illegally face arrest and deportation after Oct 31.

U.N. agencies say there are more than two million undocumented Afghans in Pakistan, at least 600,000 of whom fled after the Taliban takeover in 2021.