Border fencing: Torkham no longer ‘soft crossing point’: officials

Mechanism will be devised allowing only people with valid documents to enter Pakistan

LANDI KOTAL: The Torkham border post is no longer a ‘soft crossing point’ and work on fencing the border at specific places will start soon, security officials said on Monday.

Torkham closure: Patients stranded in Landi Kotal for a week

A border management mechanism, they said, will be devised, allowing only people with proper documentation to enter the country.

Officials said that the Torkham border had been closed off while the security officials were on high alert on Ghulam Khan, Angor Ada, Khar Lachi crossing points.

Citing recent attacks on Pakistani soil, they said that the federal government had been compelled to close the border. The officials said that they would not let the relations with Afghanistan to deteriorate, adding that the government greatly valued its relationship with the people of Afghanistan. “But their land will not be allowed to be used against Pakistan.”



No terrorist had entered Pakistan since the border closure, the officials said. Officials said they expect bilateral trade between the two countries to increase once the new border management policy is implemented. The National Logistic Cell (NLC) will establish a terminal to facilitate trade between the two countries.

Security officials said that everyone should keep an eye out for terrorists, adding that people should inform officials of the political administration, security or other government officials about the presence of extremists.

Published in The Express Tribune, February 28^th, 2017.