Work on fencing of Pak-Afghan border in full swing

Col Shehzad says 50% work done at Ghulam Khan border, remaining to be completed by Dec 2019

MIRANSHAH: Pakistan has erected 50 per cent of the fence along the border with Afghanistan in Ghulam Khan, North Waziristan, while the remaining portion will be installed by the end of 2019, Col Shehzad says.

“It is a national level project where nearly 50 per cent of the work has been done and by December next year it will be completed to stop the illegal movement across the border,” said the Tochi Scouts commandant while addressing a news conference here on Sunday.

The Ghulam Khan border with Afghanistan is 32 kilometres long, which means that fencing work on 16km is left.

“Along with fencing, forts are also being constructed for surveillance,” said Col Shehzad, adding that behind the fence comes the security forces as a line of defence.

Separately, briefing the media, National Logistics Cell (NLC) Director General Aziz Khattak said, “Fencing is under way under the border management programme.”

The NLC DG said, “Through border management, we have enhanced and channelised trade with Afghanistan and now we are providing day and night services to the traders at the Ghulam Khan trading point.

“We have constructed a terminal at the Ghulam Khan border and provided other facilities to the Pakistani and Afghan businessmen. The move not only doubled the trade volume, but with the enhanced facilities economic activities have received a boost in North Waziristan.”

Khattak said, “Erecting a fence has reduced the militants’ cross border movement and by the end of next year we will be able to protect the whole border with Afghanistan in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa.”

He said through these concrete measures adopted by the security forces, nobody would dare cross the border illegally, adding that posts at the border were equipped with modern technology.

He also gave a detailed briefing to the journalists on the prospective trade opportunities with Afghanistan and other central Asian countries.