Pakistan paying the price for security vacuum in Afghanistan: DG ISPR

Kabul govt needs to clear all terrorist sanctuaries and take effective border security mechanism, says Maj-Gen Ghafoor

Pakistan Army’s chief spokesperson said on Monday that the country is paying the price for security vacuum on Afghan side of the border.

In a series of tweets, Maj Gen Asif Ghafoor, the director general of the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), said that Pakistan has done its part including cleared all areas of terrorists, border fencing, building new check posts, enhanced presence along Pak-Afghan border and established of crossing points.

The DG ISPR comments came after two Pakistani servicemen – among them a captain – were martyred in a cross-border attack by Afghanistan-based terrorists in Bajaur Agency.

Two more martyrs today! The price Pak is paying for security vacuum on Afg side of the bdr.
Pak has done its part; cleared all areas, (1/3) pic.twitter.com/1sSCUC21mo

— DG ISPR (@OfficialDGISPR) November 13, 2017

“More efforts are required on Afghanistan side by all stake holders,” he said.

While talking about the militant hideouts in the war-torn country, Maj-Gen Asif Ghafoor said, “It now requires elimination of terrorist sanctuaries in Afghanistan and effective Afghan border security.”

Lives of forces and citizens equally precious on both sides of the border, he added.

Moreover, Pakistani officials have repeatedly said that the Taliban terrorists, who fled a series of military operations in tribal regions, have found safe havens in northern, eastern and northeastern Afghanistan.



These Taliban terrorists use their sanctuaries as a springboard for launching cross-border attacks on Pakistani military’s border posts and on civilian population.

Kabul is reluctant to dismantle these sanctuaries despite repeated requests from Islamabad. Instead Afghanistan blames Pakistan for sheltering the Afghan Taliban.

Pakistan has started fencing its long and porous border with Afghanistan to check the movement of Taliban terrorists from Afghanistan. Kabul, however, is opposed to the fencing of border which it claims is disputed.