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
Pak army spokesperson, the work is part of Operation Radd ul Fasaad, Pak army's
countrywide anti-terror operation and has been ordered by Pak 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 Pak army is also 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 recognize 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 recognize 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.
Hamid Karzai @KarzaiH
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..1/2
9:43 AM - 5 Mar 2017
https://twitter.com/KarzaiH/status/838240975537520641
Hamid Karzai @KarzaiH
2/2 and other
repressive measures, we remind the Govt of #Pakistan that #Afghanistan hasn't
and will not recognize the #Durand line.
9:45 AM - 5 Mar 2017
https://twitter.com/KarzaiH/status/838241472193396736
©SantoshChaubey