CHAMAN : The Awami National Party (ANP) has praised the Pashtun Students Federation (PSF) for its historic role in fostering political awareness and democratic values within the Pashtun community.
The remarks were made by ANP’s Provincial President, Asghar Khan Achakzai, during a welcome ceremony for new students at Shaheed Aimal Khan Advocate Degree College in Chaman. The event was organized by the PSF.
Achakzai credited the PSF’s long-standing struggle and sacrifices for establishing strong foundations of “political consciousness, ideological thinking, and democratic thought” in the region. He noted with pride that a majority of the ANP’s current leadership are graduates of the student federation, calling it a source of strength for the party.
During the ceremony, Achakzai and other leaders congratulated the newly elected PSF college president and general secretary. They expressed hope that the new leadership would attract more educated youth into national politics.
The speakers also emphasized the dual responsibility of PSF members: to focus on acquiring knowledge and skills, while also playing an active role in the national political movement.
A major point of focus was the upcoming public meeting in Quetta on November 23rd, which will honor martyrs Khan Jilani Khan Achakzai and Asad Khan Achakzai. The ANP leaders urged all PSF members to ensure a massive turnout, especially with the expected participation of ANP’s Central President, Aimal Wali Khan, which they believe will give the event “far-reaching effects.”
The gathering concluded with a reception for the new students, which saw large participation from both students and teachers.
In a separate development the vital Chaman border crossing between Pakistan and Afghanistan remained completely sealed for the 28th consecutive day on Friday, crippling trade and stranding pedestrians amid a tense military standoff. The border closure, a consequence of deadly clashes on October 10th, has inflicted millions of dollars in losses on businesses and traders reliant on the key transit route.
The prolonged shutdown has brought all commercial and pedestrian movement to a grinding halt, creating significant economic hardship on both sides of the frontier. The situation at the border remains volatile, with sources reporting sporadic exchanges of fire between Pakistani and Afghan border forces in recent days. A temporary ceasefire was subsequently established, which, notably, allowed for the resumption of the Pakistani government’s program for the repatriation of undocumented Afghan refugees.
