Presidential polls: Pakistan to tighten security along Afghan border

FO insists elections are essentially an Afghan affair.

ISLAMABAD:

Pakistan will beef up security along its border with Afghanistan in a bid to ensure trouble-free elections in the neighbouring country, the foreign office spokesperson said on Thursday.

Afghanistan is all set to hold their landmark polls on Saturday amid fears of possible attacks by Taliban to disrupt the democratic process.

There has been a sudden surge in incidents of violence in the run-up to elections with some Afghan officials pointing fingers at Pakistan’s security establishment for being behind the attacks in recent weeks. Pakistan has denied all such allegations.

At her weekly address, Tasnim Aslam insisted that Pakistan had no interest in undermining the democratic process in the neighbouring country.

She made it clear that the presidential polls are essentially an Afghan affair and ensuing peaceful elections is the primary responsibility of the Afghan National Security forces supported by ISAF.

However, she added Pakistan would play its part as far as security along the border was concerned.

“As on previous occasions, Pakistan would beef up security along the border during the elections,” she added.

When questioned about the specific measures to be taken along the border, the spokesperson said that the government would “like to ensure security from our side.”

“We also hope that despite threats from extremist groups, voters in Afghanistan will cast their votes in record number. We expect that efforts of the Afghan election authorities would be assisted by the international partners in Afghanistan,” Tasnim maintained.

The spokesperson said that as a ‘friend and well-wisher of the Afghan people’, Pakistan hoped for successful elections and a peaceful democratic transition in Afghanistan.

“We hope that the Afghan nation would emerge stronger and more unified as a result of the forthcoming elections,” she said.

Published in The Express Tribune, April 4^th, 2014.