Four Killed, 12 Injured in Protest to Open Pakistan-Afghan Trade Route

New Delhi (Sputnik): The key crossing between Pakistan and Afghanistan, the Friendship Gate near Chaman in Balochistan province in the south-west, serves as a trade route between the two countries. According to Dawn, the gate was directed to opened on 29 July on the occasion of Eidul Azha but remained shut as people and security forces clashed.

Four people were killed and around 20 were injured in Pakistan as travellers and security forces clashed at the Pakistan-Afghanistan Chaman border, reported GeoTv. The crowd demanded the opening of the border so that they could celebrate Eidul Azha in their native communities.

​The security forces kept the gate closed, demanding the crowd to be dispersed on Thursday, despite a government order to allow the opening of the Friendship Gate with Afghanistan till 31 July.

Pictures and videos of the site showed people heavily injured, thick smoke clouds in the air and general chaos. #StateAttackedChamanSitIn and other hashtags trended in Pakistan as people accused border forces of opening fire at protesters.

Just a day before #EidAlAdha, 2 people killed & 10 injured when FC opened fire on #ChamanSitin hence #StateAttackedChamanSitIn trending.

The protestors have been demanding to completely open Chaman-Spin Boldak route which is partially open for trade.#Pakistan pic.twitter.com/XMw74rFgzu

— Bashir Ahmad Gwakh (@bashirgwakh) July 30, 2020

The Chaman Gate had been closed for several months against which a sit-in had been going on. Today, when thousands of besieged people were forced to cross the gate, the state opened fire, So far, many innocent people have been reported killed & injured.#StateAttackedChamanSitIn pic.twitter.com/njyMq1qDdk

— AlamZaib Mahsud (@AlamzaibMahsud) July 30, 2020T

A heavy exchange of fire and shelling also took place between the security forces of Pakistan and Afghanistan. Afghanistan's Defence Ministry stated on Thursday that nine civilians were killed and around 50 were injured in heavy shelling from Pakistan targeting civilians.

#AFG Defense Ministry in a statement @MoDAfghanistan :” Pakistani military shellings and artillery attacks in Spin Boldak targeted civilan area. 9 civilians including a child killed. At least 50 civilans wounded.

— BILAL SARWARY (@bsarwary) July 30, 2020

​“A heavy exchange of fire between Pakistani and Afghan forces continued and explosions were heard in Chaman,” Dawn said, quoting a senior official of the area, Zakaullah Durrani.