Pakistan to fence whole border with Afghanistan
The Pakistani Army has said that it will soon begin building a fence along its volatile border with Afghanistan to improve security. Adding that a secure border is in the common interest of both the countries, the Army said that border posts will also be built to enhance defence and surveillance along the frontier. However, Afghan authorities opposed the move.
Despite Afghanistan's strong reservations, Pakistan has started the fencing work along the whole Pakistan-Afghanistan border or Durand Line. According to Maj Gen Asif Ghafoor, DG, Inter-Service Public Relations and Pakistan Army spokesperson, the work is part of Operation Radd ul Fasaad, Pakistan Army's countrywide anti-terror operation and has been ordered by Pakistan Army chief Gen Qamar Javed Bahwa.The whole work will be completed in two phases with high infiltration areas like Bajaur, Mohmand and Khyber Agencies are being taken in the first phase. According to his Facebook post, besides building up the fence, the Pakistan Army is also building new posts and forts to further beef up the security measures.His Facebook post read, "Measures to improve security situation along the Pak-Afg border continue. In line with the directions of COAS, phased fencing of entire Pak-Afg border has commenced. In phase 1, high infiltration prone border areas in Bajaur, Mohmand and Khyber Agencies are being fenced. In phase 2 fencing of remaining border areas including Baluchistan will be executed. Besides fencing, Pakistan Army and FC KP are constructing new Forts / Border Posts to improve surveillance and defensibility. A secure Pak-Afg border is in common interest of both countries and a well coordinated border security mechanism is essential for enduring peace and stability."Nothing looks wrong with it. It is, in fact, within a sovereign country's rights to do all to secure its borders. But it is not so. The border between Afghanistan and Pakistan, known as Durand Line, is disputed and Afghanistan has vowed to never recognise it. Durand Line, drawn by Britain in 1893, is 2460 kms long and arbitrarily divides the geographical areas inhabited by Pashtun and Baloch communities. Afghanistan contends that the validity of the British era document that imposed the Durand Line on Afghanistan expired with the collapse of the British empire from the sub-continent in 1947.Earlier this year, when Pakistan had closed its border with Afghanistan citing terrorists' infiltration, Afghanistan's former president Hamid Karzai had hit back using strong words, "The Government of Pakistan had no legal authority to dictate terms on the Durand line." He added that "while we wish freedom for the people of FATA from FCR and other repressive measures, we remind the Government of Pakistan that Afghanistan hasn't and will not recognise the Durand Line." Federally Administered Tribal Areas or FATA is Pakistan's north-western province that borders with Afghanistan. FATA was seen as a region beyond Pakistan's control which regulates it now through repressive special laws known as the Frontier Crimes Regulations (FCR) and has announced to merge it with Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province.The Govt of Pakistan has no legal authority to dictate terms on the Durand line.while we wish freedom for the people of #FATA from FCR..1/22/2 and other repressive measures, we remind the Govt of #Pakistan that #Afghanistan hasn't and will not recognize the #Durand line.Also read:Trump seen hardening line against Pakistan after Afghan war review Send troops to Pakistan: Chinese internet users vent anger over killings 