Torkham border fencing resumes

LANDIKOTAL: Inspector General of Frontier Corps (IGFC) Major General Shaheen Mazhar Mehmood inspected the installation of barbed wire as fencing on the Pakistani side of the border in Torkham resumed on Saturday.

He was accompanied by civil and military officials including Khyber Rifles Commandant, Col Tariq Hafeez and Assistant Political Agent of Landikotal Rahimullah Mehsud.

The IGFC was briefed about the situation on the Pak-Afghan border and the fencing work that had been stopped by Pakistani authorities due to objections by the Afghan security forces. Pakistan had also closed the border for three days as a mark of protest.

Major General Shaheen Mazhar Mehmood inspected the fencing work, which was resumed after Afghanistan authorities formally announced that they had no objection to the fencing in Pakistani territory. He also met the security personnel deployed on the border.

Meanwhile, trucks and passenger vehicles travelling between Pakistan and Afghanistan were allowed to cross the Torkham border.

An official, who wished not to be named, said that Major General Shaheen Mazhar Mehmood awarded the FC personnel for their bravery and vigilance at the Torkham border.

Officials of the political administration at Torkham said that around 7,000 to 8,000 commuters and 250 trucks had entered Afghanistan from Pakistan via Torkham border on Saturday.

They said 120 trucks loaded with goods also entered Pakistan from Afghanistan via Torkham.

It may be recalled that Pak-Afghan border at Torkham was closed after the Afghan border officials asked Pakistan authorities to stop fencing at the Pakistani side of the border.

The border authorities said they were enhancing the security measures close to the Afghan border by installing fence and barbed wire to stop illegal border crossing.

The fencing work is being done 30 metres inside Pakistani territory, but still the Afghans protested and brought their forces backed by tanks and armoured personnel carriers to the border in an aggressive mood. This led to tension on the border and its closure.