Pakistani Protesters Demand Relaxed Afghan Travel Rules

For more than 50 days, a mass sit-in rally has been protesting Pakistan's tightened rules for travel to and from Afghanistan. Unions and political parties launched the protest in the city of Chaman, near the border with Afghanistan, on October 21 after Pakistan introduced visas between the two countries. The protesters demand restoration of the earlier arrangement, when national identity cards were sufficient for crossing the border. On December 9, protest leaders pledged to extend the demonstrations to more places unless their demand is met. Pakistani areas along the border with Afghanistan are largely inhabited by Pashtuns, who also constitute the main ethnic group in Afghanistan.