Balochistan Governor Seeks 5 Days for Talks with Central Govt, Post-Protest Negotiations

Abdul Wali Kakar, the governor of Pakistan's Balochistan province, engaged in discussions with representatives of thousands of protesters opposing the ban on visa-free travel between Afghanistan and Pakistan.

During a meeting on Wednesday, Kakar requested a five-day period to convey their demands to the Pakistani authorities in Islamabad.

This dialogue occurred following a 41-day sit-in protest in the Chaman region, situated along the Afghanistan border. Imdadullah, a protester present at the meeting, labelled the talks with the Balochistan governor as positive.

As of Thursday, the sit-in protest has reached its 42nd day, with demonstrators continuing to oppose the visa-free travel ban at the border crossings between Afghanistan and Pakistan.

Ghawsullah, leader of the "Laghri" workers' union in Chaman, warned that if their demands are unmet, they will cease tax payments to the Pakistani government.

The interim government under Prime Minister Anwar ul Haq Kakar has made significant policy changes regarding border issues and migrants. One of the key decisions by his interim cabinet was setting a November 1 deadline for over 1.7 million Afghan refugees to exit Pakistan. This decision led the Ministry of Interior to initiate a large-scale operation to detain and deport these refugees forcefully.

Additionally, the government has decided to enforce a "single document system" for border crossings between Afghanistan and Pakistan. Under the new policy, travellers are required to use passports and visas exclusively, effectively ending the era of crossing borders with other documents like national identity cards.