Pakistan rejects Afghan allegations of 'illegal' border fencing

Pakistan on Thursday rejected allegations made by Afghanistan’s Foreign Ministry and media regarding Pakistan Army‘s fencing of the Pak-Afghan border.

Kabul has termed the fencing of the border "illegal". 

FO Spokesperson Zahid Hafeez Chaudhri, in a statement, stated that the fencing along the Pak-Afghan border was being done to address Pakistan’s serious security concerns and was fully in accordance with the established norms of international law, without encroaching into Afghan territory.

“The Afghan side would be well-advised to engage on border matters through the relevant institutional mechanisms to address any misconceptions,” the spokesperson added. “Regrettably, Pakistan’s suggestion for conducting joint topographic surveys had not been positively responded to by the Afghan side.”

The spokesperson reaffirmed that Pakistan respected the territorial integrity of Afghanistan and would conduct its relations with the brotherly country in accordance with the principles of the United Nations Charter and expects reciprocity from the Afghan side.

On August 12, the Pak-Afghan border crossing at Chaman reopened for trade after it was closed in late July following a clash that erupted over border closure earlier.

The border was reopened after talks with the Pak-Afghan border government committee and other relevant parties. However, pedestrian traffic on the border continues to remain suspended.

On July 30, at least two people were killed and 20 injured after shots were fired on protesters who stormed a quarantine centre at the border gate over not being allowed to enter the neighbouring country.

A woman was among those slain in the incident as protesters set ablaze the quarantine centre, set up along the Pak-Afghan Bab-e-Dosti gate, for Covid-19 patients.