The situation at the Torkham border crossing was again tense on Sunday as Pakistani and Afghan forces exchanged fire over the contentious fencing issue. Earlier in May, the border had remained closed for a few days due to the contention of Afghan forces on the fencing issue. Pakistan had closed the border crossing after Afghan authorities who do not recognise the Durand Line as an international border reacted to an attempt to fence the passage for “controlling illegal cross-border movements.” The crossing had opened after both sides negotiated the matter peacefully. Later, Pakistan announced the digitalisation of all border crossings, starting with Torkham, which began its operation at the onset of this month. The move was to curb the movement of people across the border without proper and complete legal documents. This was also done to impede relentless passage of smugglers, most importantly of those who transfer narcotics via Pakistan to other countries, including India.
As a goodwill gesture, Pakistan had also handed over the Angoor Adda to the Afghan forces. The current exchange of fire comes amidst Pakistan’s efforts to seal the border through fencing and digitalisation of border crossings so that no Afghan citizen enters Pakistan without a passport and valid visa. Both sides have accused each other of starting the provocation. An ISPR statement read that the Afghan forces resorted to unprovoked firing on Pakistani side at Torkham Gate. A Pakistani soldier was injured due to Afghan firing as per the statement. The ISPR statement adds that to check movement of terrorists through Torkham, Pakistan is constructing a gate on its side of the border as a necessity to monitor unwanted and illegal movement. The firing was aimed at disrupting the construction of the gate well inside Pakistani territory at the border.
Afghanistan does not recognise the Durand Line as the official international border, and because of that it has objections to installations being built by Pakistani forces even on the Pakistani side of the border. According to the Afghan Chief Executive Abdullah Abdullah, “Pakistan wanted to build new installations, and Afghan Border Forces did not allow it. In response, Pakistan opened fire on Afghan Forces.” He further added that Kabul had taken up the matter through diplomatic channels, but Pakistan didn’t act upon the agreement reached between the two countries.
The across-the-border nexus of militants operating in Pakistan is an open secret. Since the start of the Operation Zarb-e-Azb, most of the militants have fled across the border to Afghanistan. Furthermore, the lethargic response of Afghan authorities in taking action against these militants has forced Pakistani officials for stricter control of the border to avoid movement of these terrorists across the border. Therefore, the unprovoked firing from the Afghan forces is an uncalled for and repetition of the same must be avoided in future.
For peace and stability in war-torn Afghanistan, cessation of militancy in Pakistan’s border areas, accusation of infiltration of militants on both sides, unchecked entry of Afghan nationals in Pakistan’s territory, fleeing of militants from Pakistan into Afghanistan, and elimination of cross-border smuggling, it is imperative that a proper system of border security is formed. This is one scenario where a ‘fence’ may worsen an already hostile situation in the short run, but for the long-term peace and improvement of ties between Pakistan and Afghanistan, the present fencing of border may just be the window into a new dynamic between the two wary-of-one-another neighbours.
Stopgap measures and knee jerk reactions are nothing but band-aiding of an open wound that has become the hallmark of the status quo between Pakistan and Afghanistan, and has been for many bloodied years. It is time to not just mend the fence, but to chalk up a whole new narrative of cessation of hostitilies, and extend a genuinely warm hand of cooperation and friendship. Both Pakistan and Afghanistan would benefit from that. If not today, very soon, and for a long time to come. http://dailytimes.com.pk/editorial/14-Jun-16/border-fencing-the-new-beginning
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