Border talk

Afghanistan and Pakistan returned to the talks table on Monday with Afghan Deputy Foreign Minister Hekmat Khalil Karzai visiting here to meet Foreign Secretary Aizaz Chaudhry. High on the agenda was how to manage the border between the two countries. Pakistan, despite the fact that there is nothing illegal or unreasonable about its decision to either build gates along the border or demand identification from those crossing it, has now taken a more conciliatory tone, emphasising peace, counterterrorism and better relations between the two countries. Adviser to the PM on Foreign Affairs Sartaj Aziz and Afghan Foreign Minister Salahuddin Rabbani will now meet on the sidelines of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation Summit. Even if a permanent solution may not be immediately possible, the one thing the two countries should be able to agree on in Tashkent is that the border will not be turned bloody again. Pakistan had proposed protocols to manage the border in 2012, but Afghanistan has not moved forward on the matter. Even now it is unclear whether the meeting between Chaudhry and Karzai has produced any concrete mechanism to stop another incident of cross-border firing.

Pakistan, weary of being accused of allowing militants to cross the border, wants to build gates on its side of the border and require all entrants to present valid identification documents. Afghanistan has a problem recognising the Durand Line, which is part of the reason why progress on border management has been non-existent. Pakistan and India have established a hotline over the LoC via which the directors-general of military operations can directly speak to each other if the cross-border firing gets out of hands. Establishing such relations between the Pakistan and Afghan armies may help build understanding and at least prevent sustained hostilities from breaking out. A standoff can only make it easier for terrorists to cross the long and poorly patrolled border between the two countries. The Torkham crossing point was opened up over the weekend, which allowed the talks to take place in a relatively amicable tone. Pakistan has pointed fingers at elements within Afghanistan who want to sabotage peace. However, restraint from both sides while trying to manage a disputed border is a prerequisite to progress on the matter. One good thing that might come from the standoff over the Torkham border gate is a serious discussion over border management. Regular political contact such as the proposed meeting in Tashkent is imperative to keep tensions from spiralling out of control.