ISLAMABAD: Chief of Army Staff during his visit to border areas in Mohmand and Orakzai agencies announced that the fencing of Pak-Afghan border had commenced alongside the deployment of ‘technical surveillance means’ and regular air surveillance. He said that ‘high threat zones’ of Mohmand and neighboring Bajaur Agency would be identified for fencing on priority basis. According to the ISPR statement, COAS also informed that the efforts were underway for “evolving a bilateral border security mechanism with Afghan authorities”.
Pakistan and Afghanistan share almost 2600 kilometers of porous border, which is extremely difficult to manage because of the highly inhospitable mountain ranges, lawlessness due to weak government control and the presence of terrorist safe havens on both sides of the border. Because of being at the center of geopolitics in the region, this area has become a hotbed of crime and terrorist activities. After remaining under continuous turmoil and home to terrorists of all ilk for more than four decades, these areas have developed a war economy of their own. Smuggling of weapons, narcotics, stolen vehicles and timber; and kidnapping industry have turned into thriving commerce. The main benefactors of all these activities are militant groups on both sides.
Because of the historical baggage that this colonial line carries, it has been doubly difficult to bring Afghan government on the table for negotiating joint border management. None of the Afghan governments to date, including the infamous Taliban government in 1990s – despite Pakistan’s huge favour of being among world’s three countries that recognized Taliban government – has ever accepted Durand Line as international border. Although, by recognizing visa issuance process, trade and transit, Afghanistan has in effect recognized Durand Line as international border, she has not agreed to border management initiatives of Pakistan so far.
The unilateral fencing of the border might not yield favorable results in terms of stalling terrorist activity and their two-way infiltration unless similar management measures are adopted on the other side also. Over last two years, Pakistan has unilaterally closed the border openings a number of times but it has done nothing except complicating things for civilians of both countries as well as negatively affecting trade and business.
These political considerations aside, unilateral fencing of borders is not unprecedented or illegal as per international law. In not very distant past, America has invoked Secure Fence Act 2006 for fencing US-Mexico border. But in the context of Pak-Afghan relations and historic linkages of both nations, this unilateralism might prove further disastrous for Pakistan’s logical strategic preference of a friendly Afghanistan.
In any case, border fencing has historically not resolved the problems it ever intends to resolve. The fencing of Punjab-Punjab border between Pakistan and India has not stopped smuggling, nor has LoC fencing stopped infiltration. Much of what happens on Pak-Afghan border has to do with the ideological leanings of societies and the people who guard the borders on both sides. If an overwhelming portion of populace on Pakistan’s side considers Afghan Taliban as legitimate fighters for freedom from ‘foreign occupiers’, as a range of Pakistani politicians keep voicing; and if majority of Afghan people, politicians and armed forces keep resenting Pakistan, fencing and technical surveillance would not stop cross border terrorist activities.
Moreover, fencing alone would not produce desired results for us. As senior journalist Syed Talat Hussain reminds, “Border fencing should be backed by a specialized border force deputed to manage border related matters. FC is eminently suited for the purpose. We also need to create more trade corridors with Afghanistan so that the pressure generated by strict border regulation finds productive release. Yes to trade. No to terrorism.”
