Fencing begins along Pakistan-Afghanistan border

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Pakistan has started fencing along its 2,300-kilometer-long border with Afghanistan, amid objections from Afghanistan.

The Pakistani military says this new border control mechanism, including the ongoing fencing is changing the centuries-old paradigm of the unregulated borders into a border which is managed and regulated as per international practices.

The army says this will also prevent illegal movement of people, goods and will also check cross-border movement of terrorists and their facilitators, the guard posts will help prevent militant attacks.

Afghanistan has objected to the building of the border fence. The country does not recognize the frontier as an international border and therefore the fortifications are bothering Kabul.

The Pakistani army said the fence will prevent cross-border movement of terrorists / CGTN Picture

After the independence of Pakistan from British rule in 1947, the border between Pakistan and Afghanistan was not secured and the cross-border movement of people remained a regular occurrence, as the division of land split up families and homes.

Since the 9/11 attacks in the US, and the start of the war on terror, tribal areas along the Pak-Afghan border has become home to terrorists. Militants would carry out attacks on both sides and find sanctuaries along these areas.

Maj. Gen. Nauman Zakaria, Commander of South Waziristan region says: “Most of the area which is crossable, which is more critical, sensitive from our point of view, from Afghan’s point of view, where the control lacks, from their side, is going to be completely fenced.”

Since the 9/11 attacks in the US, and the start of war on terror, the tribal areas along the Pak-Afghan border has become home to terrorists. / CGTN Picture

Apart from fencing, surveillance technology is also being installed along the border to prevent attacks. Forts and watch towers are being built.

Local observers say, with the border secured, there will be no reason for the US or the Afghan government to accuse Pakistan of providing safe havens to terrorists.