Pakistan

Chaudhry Nisar has ‘reservations’ over border post handover to Afghanistan

Minister says all constitutional and legal procedures violated blatantly

Sohail Chaudhry May 22, 2016

Pak-Afghan security officials at Angoor Adda with purpose-built Xing facility in the background. PHOTO: ISPR

ISLAMABAD: Interior Minister Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan has expressed reservations over the handover of a purpose-built border crossing facility in South Waziristan Agency to Afghan authorities.

The development came a day after the military said that the Angoor Adda border crossing facility was handed over to the Afghan authorities “to strengthen brotherly relations between Pakistan and Afghanistan and with a strategic intent to improve border management”.

Pakistan Army hands over Angoor Adda border crossing facility to Afghan forces

“It was reiterated during the process, that all border-related issues will be amicably resolved through mutual consultations subsequently,” the military’s media wing said in a statement on Saturday.

However, a source told Daily Express that the interior minister has voiced his reservations over the move in a letter to Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif. All constitutional and legal procedures set for such decisions have been violated blatantly, reads the letter. “There are very clear rules which should be followed before taking such important decisions.”

Two charred bodies found in Balochistan near Pak-Afghan border

Nisar said in the letter that the interior ministry was a big stakeholder in matters related to border management, border control or protection of borders. Notwithstanding, the ministry was ignored while handing over the Angoor Adda border crossing facility to Afghan authorities.

The minister said he had a lot of questions about how the facility was handed over to Afghan authorities. “The government is the custodian of each and every inch of the motherland. We must follow the legal procedures if we have to take such decisions,” he said in the letter.

Nisar added that he would wait anxiously for the prime minister’s return to take up the matter with him.

Torkham tensions call for strategy change

On May 13, Kabul and Islamabad agreed to reopen the Torkham border crossing which was closed after Afghan forces blocked a move by Pakistani authorities to fence the border, leaving thousands of people and vehicles stranded on both sides of the Durand Line.

Pakistan has repeatedly floated proposals for better border management in order to curb illegal movement, but the response from Kabul has always been lukewarm. Cross-border movement of militants is one of the key sticking points in Pak-Afghan relations. The two countries accuse each other of failing to maintain strict border controls.

Published in The Express Tribune, May 23^rd, 2016.

COMMENTS (22)

Rubina Shaheen | 7 years ago | Reply we strongly condemn this act handed over the Angoor Ada to afghanistan Afghan Government from 1947 claim that the area upto Attock is the land of Afghanistan , We strongly condemn to give any inch of paksitan Terirotory to other.

Fed up | 7 years ago | Reply In civilized societies, armed forces work under orders of the civilian government. They have no business running foreign policy or border demarcation. It's the other way around in Pakistan. Army is controlling the country without the presence of martial law. It's a coup in plain sight.

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Pakistani | 7 years ago | Reply Are we retarded or what? Why are we giving territory to Afghanistan?? We should be doing the opposite!

Ch. Allah Daad | 7 years ago | Reply @NHA: Great suggestions but the problem is that Military want their stooge as P.M. and if he or she refuses to become one, they send their anarchists and fake revolutionary thugs to straighten things out. No P.M. can afford to fight at two fronts.

hellodrsoul | 7 years ago | Reply Details are lacking. Why this particular check post was handed over to Afg. Has it been handed over permanently? How many kilometers is it inside Pak territory? And how is it going to help in border management?

NHA | 7 years ago | Reply All over the world there are SOPs . One is badly needed for Civil-Military official business and interaction here. No one-to-one meetings. Records must be kept of all conversations and exchanges. This is the only way to remain formal and accountable. Military already follows this for internal communication. This should be extended for dealings with the Govt. Further, the Office of the Chair,man Joint Chief of Staff Committee must assume greater role and provide effective coordination.

Jazail | 7 years ago | Reply Whatever the intentions might have been the person whos brain child this was has completely busted it... Same should have been discussed with the Tribals chiefs, i am sure most of them would have disagreed...Sometimes we go way too far in proving our sincerity to the insincere ...

Human | 7 years ago | Reply @Rex Minor: border posts r controlled by FC or Rangers (paramilitary forces) both of which fall under the ministry of interior

Human | 7 years ago | Reply @vinsin: the 'biggest issue' bw Afgh and Pak for past many yrs has been of Afg not accepting the Durand line.As for the accusition of 'illegal occupation' Afghanistan signed a treaty with the British Indian Gov establishing Durand line as the border.Violating treaties as in this case being done by Afg is against International laws.

vinsin | 7 years ago | Reply @sputnik: @shafi: That was not promised by Nehru. For plebiscite Pakistan has to move her army. @Human: No idea but occupation of Afghan territory was the biggest issue b/w Pakistan and Afghanistan for alteast 45 yrs. By returning Afghan territory, Pakistan has finally accepted Durand Line as border b/w Afghanistan and Pakistan. This will help in border control. If you are Pakistani then you should file RTI to know about or watch Pakistani talk shows where this was explained by Lt Gen (R) Amjad Shoaib.

asif dil | 7 years ago | Reply The Afghan army and administration should not be trusted..Pakistan have made a terrible error and mistake ny handing this border crossing. The Afghans will now at their own will,plant Indian RAW agents ,transfer their anti Pakistan traitors to commit bombings in Pakistan and conduct a long term transfer of weapons ,devices and drugs to Our beloved mother-land.

Ishrat salim | 7 years ago | Reply I agree with Mr nisar. Border disputes are a shared responsibility and the govt should be in a loop. The military cannot settle such issues unilaterally. In this case they have crossed the line.

Human | 7 years ago | Reply @vinsin: care to explain when this land was 'occupied' by Pakistan?

muhammad shoaib | 7 years ago | Reply Tomorrow we will hear that whole KPK was handed over to Afghanistan. Army is not authorised to hand over places to other country. They should have passed resolution from parliament.

Punjabi | 7 years ago | Reply An unprecedented and bizarre move by the military. If under enemy fire you give them the land they were firing on you for so they would not fire anymore. It must be noted that Durand Line is disputed by Afghanistan and ceding even an inch of our land (also a whole compound) is not acceptable.

Rex Minor | 7 years ago | Reply Nisar said in the letter that the interior ministry was a big stakeholder in matters related to border management, border control or protection of borders. Notwithstanding, the ministry was ignored while handing over the Angoor Adda border crossing facility to Afghan authorities. Not true! The borders between Pakistan and Afghanistan are in autonomous tribal land and not recognised by the Government of Aafghanistan. Besides the border posts are controlle by the military and not the police or interior ministery. Rex Minor

sputnik | 7 years ago | Reply @vinsin, plz return the occupied land of kashmir to kashmiris by holding Plebiscite as Promised by ur Beloved PM Nehru, handover Mizoram and nagaland to its people,.

shafi | 7 years ago | Reply @vinsin, plz return the occupied land of kashmir to kashmiris by holding Plebiscite as Promised by ur Beloved PM Nehru, handover Mizoram and nagaland to its people,.

Asad | 7 years ago | Reply @ Vinsin... Its time for India to return the Kashmir to the people of Kashmir as well. whereas this check post was a Pakistani check post which was handed over to Afghanistan which I believe is a stupid mistake by Army.

Shuaib | 7 years ago | Reply I don't get this. Afghanistan blocked the fencing? It's in our territoty, who are they to block it? First they complain about cross border attacks and then they don't want fencing?

vinsin | 7 years ago | Reply It is good that Pakistan has returned occupied Afghan land.

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