Pakistan

Pakistan-Afghanistan border shut for third day

Pakistan-Afghanstan talks remain inconclusive, says Kabul’s Ambassador in Islamabad Omar Zakhliwal

Tahir Khan/our Correspondent May 13, 2016

Afghan civilians sleep along a road near the Torkham border between Afghanistan and Pakistan in Nangarhar province. Hundreds of Afghan civilians attempting to get to Pakistan, notably for health treatment, were waiting in the open for several days for the crossing to reopen. PHOTO: AFP

ISLAMABAD: Talks between Pakistan and Afghanistan on the border crossing at Torkham ended in a stalemate on Thursday, leaving thousands of people stranded along both sides of the border.

For the third consecutive day the border crossing at Torkham remained shut.

Pakistani authorities closed the border on Tuesday after Afghan border forces prevented fencing along the border to stop illegal cross-border movements. Thousands of people and vehicles are stuck up on both sides of the border, witnesses said.

Installation of barbed wires at Torkham causes dispute

“Afghan defence and interior ministry officials held talks with a Pakistani delegation to solve the Torkham problem, but the talks ended without (yielding) any result and the border is still closed,” , Afghan Ambassador in Islamabad Omar Zakhliwal said.

He urged his countrymen not to exert pressure on the government’s negotiating team and tolerate all problems for the sake of ‘national interest and Afghan pride’.

Kabul, according to Zakhliwal, will continue its efforts to negotiate the reopening of the border. He urged authorities on both sides to rise above such issues.

At his weekly news briefing, Foreign Office spokesperson Nafees Zakaria confirmed that the Torkham border crossing had been shut down temporarily due to differences between Pakistan and Afghanistan over new border control measures.

“You are aware that the border between the two countries is porous. Illegal crossings and other associated issues are major challenges for both countries,” the spokesman said.

Pakistan may not extend Afghan refugees’ stay

In order to address the situation, he said, the government of Pakistan had decided to implement border control measures at Torkham for effective border management.

“It is in the interest of the two countries to have a well-regulated border. There were differences between the two sides on the implementation of measures to manage and regulate the border, due to which the border has been temporarily closed,” he added.

He, however, pointed out that both sides were in contact with each other through the military-to-military channel to address this issue.

Published in The Express Tribune, May 13^th, 2016.

COMMENTS (25)

Afsar Ali | 7 years ago | Reply I want my country, Pakistan, to completely shut the border between Pakistan and Afghanistan to stop terrorists entering Pakistan. We don't need Afghanistan anymore.

Fazza | 7 years ago | Reply What does this news have to do with India? Indians are best advised to look at their border issues first with Akhand Nepal, 'brihot' Bangladesh, China, occupied Kashmir and other neighbours

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Rahul | 7 years ago | Reply @FAZ: Neither did India. India had more to lose after partition. We were rife with poverty. Every where you looked we had poor people. Literacy rate was barely 12%. And to add to that we had lost a huge chunk of land on either side of the country. We were certainly on the back foot. It was certainly not as rosy as you paint the picture.

Pankaj | 7 years ago | Reply @Rahul: I loved you smashing people here commenting without actual facts. Their conspiracy theories are good to get claps and stay in state of denial but in long term it affects like its affecting Pakistan today.

FAZ | 7 years ago | Reply @Indian: @Rahul: Your facts are as "good" as your history. http://www.bbc.co.uk/history/british/modern/partition1947_01.shtml" Quote: "" At the same time, 90% of the subcontinent's industry, and taxable income base remained in India, including the largest cities of Delhi, Bombay and Calcutta. The economy of Pakistan was chiefly agricultural, and controlled by feudal elites. Furthermore, at the division of India, Pakistan won a poor share of the colonial government's financial reserves - with 23% of the undivided land mass, it inherited only 17.5% of the former government's financial assets. Once the army had been paid, nothing was left over for the purposes of economic development.""

vinsin | 7 years ago | Reply @FAZ: It was the Pakistan who got the best out of partition. More than 25% of land and water resources for 14.5% of population, half coal mines, properties of Hindus and Sikhs, 40% of railways, 2 out of 6 metropolitan cities, less population density, no debt etc. Indians paid for the debt of Pakistan. Till now Pakistan has been better than India in infrastructure. Hindus were starving and dying and still do after Independence. Pakistan was ahead of India economically till last century, the present gap is only in last 10-12 yrs. Why Indian Muslims wanted to create Pakistan and wanted Hindus to pay for it, always wonder?

Whistle | 7 years ago | Reply Amazing to see how many Indians come to a Pakistani website for venting. Accept it or not Pakistanies have occupied all of many Indian's mind since independence of India and Inception of Pakistan. Bravo..

Indian | 7 years ago | Reply @Faz Most of the wealth which was supposed to be left in India by Britishers were taken away by them. We didn't even had money to fed our country how could we pay you your share. Talking about you share England is still paying economic aid to Pakistan so you don't have to mention that

Indian | 7 years ago | Reply @FAZ: It was the Pakistan government which supported Taliban with heavy financing and large no. of troops and messed up the country

ouzzy | 7 years ago | Reply @rahul hmm firtsly it quite foolish to comare pak to india like the other fellow said. Just to add that do you know how many pakistani doctors work in the Uk. You prob dont know i do. Pak doctors surgeons dentist, there are soo many. I use to be like you until my cousing who had to have a transplant on the nhs which rejected him and gave him only 6 weeks to live went to pa. Had his operation and has been living safe and well for over a year. Now the nhs couldnt do it yet a pakistani doctor could. Also all legit no hanky panky. If you kno what i mean. You cant even compare your mental health service with the nhs which is 1 on the best in d world. 2nd you know how many ind run to gulf muslim states at the 1st opportunity. Also in europe too on stydent visas. Why run when your from "shining india"

Rahul | 7 years ago | Reply @FAZ: "After more than half a century if you Indians still compare yourself with Pakistan then should I not have a better sense of pride in me than you Mr. Rahul?" I'm not comparing my country with yours. I was just answering your accusations. It was in fact you who brought India into this out of nowhere by bringing in our poverty into it. Today we're competing with China not Pakistan.

Rahul | 7 years ago | Reply @FAZ: Get your facts right. India paid Pakistan 20 crore rupees as the first installment. The next installment of 55 crore was held back because the Pakistani army attacked Kashmir. As for the Indian economy being always better it is not the case. Pakistan was always ahead of India economically since partition. It's GDP per capita was higher than India up till 2009. That is when India started to go ahead and has never looked back since. Here's a report. Check out the GDP per capita in the table http://statisticstimes.com/economy/india-vs-pakistan-gdp.php In the 1980's Pakistan's economy was growing at more than 6.5% which was then the highest in the world. Pakistanis always used to mock India's growth rate by calling it a "Hindu rate of growth". But times have changed. Today Pakistan has been left to borrow from the US and IMF and China and is being deported from practically every country in the world. While India has gone far ahead of you in almost every department.

Malik | 7 years ago | Reply @FAZ: Nailed it bro! After all the progress they have made and after such success (according to them), all they do is ending up giving belittling comments about Pakistan and also saying how big they are. It's the only task they have got.

SKChadha | 7 years ago | Reply Afghanistan is largest land locked country of the World. The United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea now gives landlocked countries a right of access to and from the sea without taxation of traffic through transit states. In Treaty of Versailles (WW-I), “Polish corridor" was created for Poles’ access to the Baltic Sea. Germany was forced to Give Czechoslovakia rout to Ports of Stalin & Hamburg. Similarly, major rivers like Denube (Europe) and river Mekong (for Laos) are international waterways. The only solace to Pakistan is if Afghanistan supports it, which is not likely to happen. Opposing UN convention to provide passage for Afghan trade will further isolate Pakistan in world. It may face UNSC sanctions and probably China or Russia will also not come to Pak’s rescue for denial of this right by Pakistan to Afghanistan. Especially when Pakistan has already signed bilateral agreement for transit trade with Afghanistan in 1958, 1962 and last in 2010 (APTTA). Besides international sanctions, such move may also halt Pakistan’s trade with Tajikistan.

Ahmer | 7 years ago | Reply Why can't PAK do to AFG what IND has done with PAK? IND constructed the fence on its own to close the border with PAK as they deemed it necessary. If PAK thinks it is in their favour to have closed border, they should also do the same. If they do not have enough financial resources, they can borrow some from the not-so-sharif PM of theirs. He seems to have a ton loads of money.

FAZ | 7 years ago | Reply @Rahul: Get to the point and start comparing apples with oranges. It is Afghans who have chosen to resist for some "political" reason to have a completely lawless border. Then they accuse Pakistan of supporting the Haqqanis. If most of the accessible border comes under surveillance then their own narrative would die. Besides it will render all your "counsulates" useless. I hope you get my point. Coming back to your comparison of India with Pakistan. Well India has always been better economically. It is more than 8 times bigger in sheer size. You inherited all the best infrastructure from the British and stole our money when they refused to pay Pakistan after independence her due share. After more than half a century if you Indians still compare yourself with Pakistan then should I not have a better sense of pride in me than you Mr. Rahul?

abdullah | 7 years ago | Reply @hakim afghani.Please do that and take all the afghanis with pakistani passports and refugees back to afghanistan.enough of back stabbing done by you guys.so keep hem feed them and treat them.and where did the afghan pride go that you cant even help your afghan.such a selfish and corrupt nation you belong too

Someone | 7 years ago | Reply @Hakim Afghani: The biggest service Afghanistan can do to Pakistan and humanity is sealing the border. There's nothing else Pakistan can ask from Afghanistan. We Pakistanis would do it in a second, you Afghans are causing problems. Please urge your government to seal the border and stop trade, we Pakistanis would be indebted and greatful.

whatever | 7 years ago | Reply @Pakistani: India has already sealed its borders with Pakistan, Iran in process sealing its border with Pakistan. Afghanistan too in future seal its border. EU and Greece are deporting Pakistanis back. Pakistan has become an international migraine.

Rahul | 7 years ago | Reply @Naim Khan: "Afghans must learn you don’t go to other country with out papers." Hordes of Pakistanis are being deported almost every week from European countries for travelling illegally. Here's a report published just a few hours ago http://tribune.com.pk/story/1102510/greece-deports-53-pakistanis/

Rahul | 7 years ago | Reply @FAZ: It's much easier to cross the border into Pakistan than to fly all the way to India. Those who can afford to fly their first choice is indeed India. And look who's mocking the Afghans for pride when your own countrymen come to Indian hospitals the first chance they get. Do you have any idea how many Pakistanis come to India for treatment? And talking about poverty line then I have news for you sir. The Indian poverty line has drastically been reduced. From 21% in 2011 it has come down to 12% in 2015. Meanwhile your poverty line is still languishing on 30% with a pathetic health care system.

Pakistani | 7 years ago | Reply @Hakim Afghani: Yes please take your refugees back too. A sealed border with Afghanistan is my dream! :)

Hakim Afghani | 7 years ago | Reply Seal the border with Pakistan and cancel all trade deals with them also. Lets start using Iranian port only.

Naim Khan | 7 years ago | Reply Yes we need to close the border between Pakistan and Aghanistan, has to be strict visa policy, Afghans must learn you don't go to other country with out papers.

FAZ | 7 years ago | Reply He urged his countrymen not to exert pressure on the government’s negotiating team and tolerate all problems for the sake of ‘national interest and Afghan pride’.... When people get sick and rush to Peshawar, then where is your Afghan Pride? Why don't you send them to India? Or may be Indians who have a lot to spend on Afghans rather than their own poverty line driven people can help you with that. Iran is also an option. Why negotiate?

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