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Pakistan clamps down on travel from Afghanistan and Iran
Pakistan on Sunday banned inbound pedestrian movement from neighboring Afghanistan and Iran in an attempt to contain the spread of coronavirus.
The decision will be effective from May 4 to May 20 and only Pakistani nationals and only people with extreme emergency medical issues will be allowed to enter the country from both countries.
All outbound pedestrian movement will be allowed.
Border terminals between the three countries will also remain open throughout the week for trade and cargo purposes, Anadolu News reported.
“With the emergence of various variants and to restrain import of any new mutation to Pakistan, the current policy of Land Border Management with Afghanistan and Iran has been reviewed to ensure regulated inbound pedestrian movement and effective management of COVID protocols at border terminals,” a government press release stated.
According to Anadolu, Pakistan has recently detected British, Brazilian, and South African variants of COVID-19, fearing a further rise in the already mounting infections.
It has also banned land and air travel from India, where record infections and deaths have overwhelmed the health care system.
The government has also decided to increase the strength of health and security officials at border terminals with Iran and Afghanistan for implementation of the testing protocols, and control high traffic density.
Inbound pedestrians will undergo a rapid antigen test, and Pakistani nationals who test positive will be shifted to nearby quarantine facilities.
Inbound Afghan pedestrians with exemptions who test positive will be reverted to the home country.
Pakistan has registered 829,933 cases, including 18,070 deaths.
Zalmay Khalilzad, the former US special representative for Afghanistan, has questioned Pakistan’s commitment to the welfare of the Afghan people, citing Islamabad’s policies over the past three decades.
Khalilzad said in a post on X that Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif advocated for the rights of Afghan women during his speech at the UN General Assembly on Friday.
Sharif said: “Fundamental rights of the Afghan people — especially women and girls — must be respected.”
Responding to the remarks, Khalilzad said Pakistan’s policies over the past 30 years raise questions about Sharif’s commitment to Afghan welfare.
He cited Pakistan’s support for militant groups against US forces and what he described as the poor treatment of Afghan refugees as examples.
Khalilzad also said Afghanistan and Pakistan need and should have much better relations, adding that “a reset is necessary.”
India’s Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri met with the UN Secretary-General’s Special Representative for Afghanistan, Rabab Fatima, on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly.
Indian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said in a post on X that Misri underscored the need to keep addressing the humanitarian needs of the Afghan people as a priority.
Misri also appreciated the role of the UN Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) and reaffirmed India’s continued cooperation with the United Nations on Afghanistan.
The meeting comes as Afghanistan continues to face humanitarian and economic challenges, with international agencies warning of significant needs among the Afghan population.
Kazakhstan’s Foreign Minister Mukhtar Tileuberdi has called for pragmatic and coordinated international engagement with Afghanistan, saying the country’s long-term stability is closely linked to the security and sustainable development of Central Asia.
Speaking during the general debate of the 81st session of the United Nations General Assembly in New York on Friday, Tileuberdi said humanitarian assistance to Afghanistan remains essential but alone cannot break the cycle of poverty, displacement and dependency.
He said Kazakhstan supports a “pragmatic, coordinated and step-by-step” approach to international engagement with Afghanistan, with the United Nations playing a central role.
Tileuberdi also said Kazakhstan is working with the UN to operationalize the United Nations Regional Centre for the Sustainable Development Goals for Central Asia and Afghanistan in Almaty.
He said the success of the centre should be measured by the results and assistance it delivers to the region.
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