Managing the border

In the 1980s when we supported the so-called Afghan Jihad, the lack of border management with Afghanistan was a boon. With the start of the 2000s, the porous border became a huge problem. Militants of all creeds crossed the border, and returned, without fearing for security. This movement across the border in the age of terror wars has continued. The extent of this free movement across borders can be seen in the fact that even the signals of mobile phone operators from Afghanistan can make it across the border – often with grave consequences. The early investigation report into the attack on the Bacha Khan University revealed that the attackers were using Afghan mobile SIMs that remained active throughout the attack. Also, it’s long been known that militants have used extortion and kidnappings for ransom as a way to raise money, and law-enforcement agencies have had little success in curbing them. The militants have even been able to construct their own cell towers, making it impossible for the government to block Afghan SIMs. The group believed to be behind the rise in extortion is the TTP breakaway faction Jamaat-ul-Ahrar, which claimed responsibility for the Lahore park bombing. Getting the Afghan government to reveal call records and the identity of the individuals who bought the SIMs could help us find out how they are able to smuggle in SIMs; this is crucial in identifying the structure of the militant groups. In Peshawar alone, it is estimated that Rs10 million a month is collected through extortion, so shutting down this activity would cause immense damage to the militants. Also, Kabul could agree to trace those making extortion calls from Afghan territory and up border security on its own side, but the infrastructure of collecting extortion money remains inside Pakistan. This cannot happen by threats from people located in Afghanistan alone, unless those threatened feel that the groups making the calls can carry out their threats.

At a recent meeting of the Apex Committee for Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and the Federally Administered Tribal Areas (Fata), the army chief and other participants were briefed on the situation. The meeting resolved that the government would improve border management with Afghanistan while taking steps to shut down illegal communication towers inside Pakistani territory. A delegation will be sent to Afghanistan to take up these issues soon. The problem is that Afghanistan has not been willing to cooperate. It is incredible, though, that a decade and a half into a war against an enemy which has used the porous nature of the Afghan border to its advantage, the two countries have not been able to come up with an effective mechanism to control the movement of people, goods and telecom signals across the border. There is much to be done and it is a good sign that the government and military are contemplating appropriate steps now. Kabul should realise that it is also in its best interest to take the matter seriously and cooperate, while Pakistan must work out ways to also develop international pressure on it.