Chaman
Encyclopedia
Chaman (Pashto/Urdu
Urdu
Urdu is a register of the Hindustani language that is identified with Muslims in South Asia. It belongs to the Indo-European family. Urdu is the national language and lingua franca of Pakistan. It is also widely spoken in some regions of India, where it is one of the 22 scheduled languages and an...

: چمن ) is the capital of Qilla Abdullah District
Qilla Abdullah District
Killa Abdullah or Qilla Abdullah or Abdullah Qilla is a district in the north west of Balochistan province of Pakistan. Over 99% of the people of the area are Muslims. The population of Qilla Abdullah District was estimated to be over 400,000 in 2005, the vast majority being Pakhtuns.Killa...

, Balochistan
Balochistan (Pakistan)
Balochistan is one of the four provinces or federating units of Pakistan. With an area of 134,051 mi2 or , it is the largest province of Pakistan, constituting approximately 44% of the total land mass of Pakistan. According to the 1998 population census, Balochistan had a population of...

, Pakistan
Pakistan
Pakistan , officially the Islamic Republic of Pakistan is a sovereign state in South Asia. It has a coastline along the Arabian Sea and the Gulf of Oman in the south and is bordered by Afghanistan and Iran in the west, India in the east and China in the far northeast. In the north, Tajikistan...

. It is situated just south of the border with Afghanistan
Afghanistan
Afghanistan , officially the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan, is a landlocked country located in the centre of Asia, forming South Asia, Central Asia and the Middle East. With a population of about 29 million, it has an area of , making it the 42nd most populous and 41st largest nation in the world...

. Across the border in Afghanistan is the neighbouring town of Spin Boldak
Spin Boldak
Spin Boldak or Spin Buldak is a border town in the southern Kandahar province of Afghanistan, right next to the Durand Line border with Pakistan. It is linked by a highway with the city of Kandahar to the north, and with Chaman and Quetta in Pakistan to the south. Spin Boldak has the second major...

, in Kandahar Province
Kandahar Province
Kandahar or Qandahar is one of the largest of the thirty-four provinces of Afghanistan. It is located in southern Afghanistan, between Helmand, Oruzgan and Zabul provinces. Its capital is the city of Kandahar, which is located on the Arghandab River. The province has a population of nearly...

. The city has a population of 20,000, several thousand of whom are Hindu
Hindu
Hindu refers to an identity associated with the philosophical, religious and cultural systems that are indigenous to the Indian subcontinent. As used in the Constitution of India, the word "Hindu" is also attributed to all persons professing any Indian religion...

.

Transport

Chaman has a railway station which accommodates services with Kandahar
Kandahar
Kandahar is the second largest city in Afghanistan, with a population of about 512,200 as of 2011. It is the capital of Kandahar Province, located in the south of the country at about 1,005 m above sea level...

 as well as other parts of Afghanistan
Afghanistan
Afghanistan , officially the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan, is a landlocked country located in the centre of Asia, forming South Asia, Central Asia and the Middle East. With a population of about 29 million, it has an area of , making it the 42nd most populous and 41st largest nation in the world...

. A slow passenger train runs between Chaman and Quetta
Quetta
is the largest city and the provincial capital of the Balochistan Province of Pakistan. Known as the "Fruit Garden of Pakistan" due to the diversity of its plant and animal wildlife, Quetta is home to the Hazarganji Chiltan National Park, which contains some of the rarest species of wildlife in the...

 daily. In 2008, it was proposed to extend this railway through Afghanistan to Central Asia
Central Asia
Central Asia is a core region of the Asian continent from the Caspian Sea in the west, China in the east, Afghanistan in the south, and Russia in the north...

.
Chaman is among the most beautiful places in the world with good naturist environment.

Trade

The town is an important trade point in the Balochistan region, providing a gateway on the trade routes between Afghanistan and Karachi. It underwent development during the martial law
Martial law
Martial law is the imposition of military rule by military authorities over designated regions on an emergency basis— only temporary—when the civilian government or civilian authorities fail to function effectively , when there are extensive riots and protests, or when the disobedience of the law...

 period of the 1980s.

Sport

Chaman has been known for its football since the 1940s, and is home to Afghan FC
Afghan FC
Afghan Football Club Chaman or Afghan FC are a football club playing in the Pakistan Premier League. The club is based in Chaman, Balochistan, a border town near Afghanistan. The Afghan Club have a loyal fan base with locals turning up in huge numbers to support their team at their home matches...

, which plays in the Pakistan Premier League
Pakistan Premier League
The Pakistan Premier League is the first division of Pakistani football. It was established in 2004, in place of the National Championship by the Pakistan Football Federation.-Origins:...

, and the Muslim Football Club. The Jamal Nasir Shaheed Stadium is located in the town.

Two players from Afghan FC currently play for the Pakistan national football team
Pakistan national football team
The Pakistan national football team is controlled by the Pakistan Football Federation and is a member of the Asian Football Confederation . The team has not yet qualified for either the FIFA World Cup or Asian Cup championships. Twice they have finished third in the South Asian Football Federation...

, including the captain, Muhammad Essa
Muhammad Essa
Muhammad Essa Khan is a Pakistani footballer playing currently for KRL FC. The striker is also the captain of Pakistan national football team and is one of the most talented football players Pakistan has seen in recent times...

.

Afghan War

Chaman is used by NATO forces as a major supply route into Afghanistan.

On August 30, 2009, an attack on a NATO convoy destroyed 20 fuel tankers and other supply trucks. The attackers reportedly fired rockets and small arms before destroying the trucks.

External links

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