Immobile: Pak-Afghan border closed again

Afghan government reiterates objections over construction at Torkham.

LANDIKOTAL: The Pak-Afghan border at Torkham was closed again for traffic and pedestrians on Monday following a day’s break. The closure is brought about due to objections raised by Afghan officials over the construction of facilities in Pakistan’s territory.

The closure stranded hundreds of trucks and trailers loaded with goods on both sides of the Durand Line. Similarly, thousands of people arriving to cross the border were also affected.

On Friday, Afghan officials objected over construction of facilities in Pakistan’s territory. As a mark of protest, they closed the border for all traffic. However, the two sides entered into negotiations after a couple of hours and agreed to open the border, resuming transport between the two countries at Torkham.

Officials at Torkham said they have assured their counterparts in Afghanistan of honouring the agreement regarding refraining from construction beyond the prescribed limits of 30 meters at the border.

Tensions between Pakistan and Afghanistan over entry points are not confined to Torkham. The situation is similar for the points at Mohmand and Bajaur agencies.

The Afghan government also constructed such facilities till the main entry points several years back, but now its officials are objecting over the construction carried out by Pakistan within its territory. The Afghan government even removed the gate installed by Pakistan at Torkham around seven years back.

Fencing and trenching along the Pak-Afghan border has been conducted in accordance with the Durand Line Agreement signed by former British colonial rulers and Afghanistan’s Ameer Abdul Rahman Khan on November 12, 1993.

Hostilities and skirmishes over the Durand Line are a routine matter for officials and security personnel of both countries. Similar incidents have recently occurred in both Bajaur and Mohmand agencies of the tribal belt.

Published in The Express Tribune, November 25^th, 2014.