Pakistan officers protest after border clash
Chaman rally demands better security and aid after deadly Taliban attack
Government officers and civil servants in Pakistan staged a uniformed march through Chaman, Balochistan, demanding stronger security, accountability and support for communities after a deadly clash with Taliban fighters along the Pak-Afghan border that killed several security personnel and civilians. Protesters carried banners such as “Protect the Protectors” and “No more blood for no response,” displayed portraits of the fallen, and chanted demands for compensation and a review of rules of engagement and frontline defenses. Organizers warned they would escalate actions if concrete measures were not taken.
Provincial officials met protest representatives and pledged to forward demands to federal authorities; protesters urged visits by the Provincial Home Department and Frontier Corps commanders to reassess on-the-ground security. Opposition politicians and local dignitaries joined the demonstration, accusing the federal government of neglect and calling for a parliamentary inquiry. Analysts say the rally underscores mounting pressure on Pakistan’s security apparatus in western border zones, where persistent militant incursions, cross-border attacks and tensions related to refugee and trafficking flows have strained relations between frontline personnel and decision-makers.
In a related development, Pakistani authorities briefly reopened the Chaman border crossing for humanitarian repatriation, allowing around 200 Afghan families — many with women and children — to return to Afghanistan during a two-and-a-half-hour window. The Deputy Commissioner of Chaman said the Friendship Gate was opened to permit refugees to cross with dignity; most other border traffic remained suspended, including trucks carrying fresh produce, imports, exports, transit goods, pedestrian crossings and passport travel. Hundreds of vehicles, including laden trucks, remained stranded; authorities relocated some vehicles to parking areas and sheltered returning families in camps where food, water and basic facilities were provided.
Local officials reported calm across Chaman and neighboring districts including Qila Abdullah, Bubandi, Badini, Zhob and Baramcha in Chagai, with Pakistani security forces maintaining heightened alert across Balochistan.
