Nisar rejects Afghan allegations, hollow threats

Says Afghanistan shouldn’t spoil relations with Pakistan on dictates of others

LANDIKOTAL: Interior Minister Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan on Wednesday rejected the Afghan allegations and hollow threats, saying that the neighbouring country should not spoil its relations with Pakistan by playing into the hands of others.

Praising the tribal people for rendering sacrifices for restoration of peace in Fata, Chaudhry Nisar said Pakistan’s enemies were using Afghanistan’s soil to stage terrorist attacks in the country. The minister visited Landikotal where he was briefed on the strategic importance and border management mechanism at the Torkham border with Afghanistan.

Commandant Khyber Rifles Colonel Umar Farooq briefed the minister at the Michini check post overlooking the Pak-Afghan border. Nisar was accompanied by Inspector General Frontier Corps (IGFC) Major General Shaheen Mazhar Mehmood, Political Agent Khyber Agency Khalid Mehmood and MNA Shahjee Gul Afridi.

Talking to reporters, Nisar said Pakistanis considered Afghans as their brothers and sisters. He said Pakistan sheltered three million Afghan refugees when the former Soviet Union attacked Afghanistan, adding that Islamabad wanted friendly relations with Kabul as the people of the two countries had common religion and culture.

"I request the Afghan government not to play into the hands of others and work for bilateral peace and development in the region," the minister said. He added the government was aware of the activities of those using the Afghan soil to create chaos in Pakistan. He said Pakistan wanted cordial relations with Afghanistan as peace in Afghanistan was vital for stability in Pakistan

"The Pakistani security forces are well-trained and have the capability to defend the country," Nisar said. He added that 284 soldiers and officers of the Frontier Corps were killed and more than 3,000 injured while 280 became disabled in the war against terrorism in Fata.

"It would be unjust to forget the sacrifices of the tribal people," he said. He stressed that the security forces were fighting for Pakistan's defence and nobody would be allowed to spill the blood of innocent people.

The minister said militancy had reduced due to sacrifices of the people and security forces. He maintained that the credit for restoration of peace in Pakistan also went to the people of Khyber Agency as they cooperated with the security forces.

Nisar said the network of militants had been dismantled, adding that the nation saluted the brave soldiers who made sacrifices for peace. The minister promised that the government would compensate the victims of the terror-related incidents. He said the militants fled to Afghanistan after the security forces launched the Operation Zarb-e-Azb in North Waziristan and were now staging attacks from Afghanistan. 

Regarding the border management system at the Torkham border, Nisar said the government had no other option but to control the movement of people and goods across the border with Afghanistan. He said nobody would be allowed to enter Pakistan without valid travel documents. He said Pakistan would control the movement of people on the border through 20 dedicated routes by 2020.

Nisar said the government had sanctioned Rs700 million to establish more wings of the Frontier Corps by July next year. "Thousands of tribal youth would be recruited in the FC to strengthen security on the border with Afghanistan," he said.

The minister also visited the Torkham border gate where he met the Afghan border officials. He announced the establishment of a full-fledged office of the National Database and Registration Authority (Nadra) at the Torkham border to facilitate the documentation process of the travellers entering or leaving Pakistan.

Earlier, the minister visited Qilla Balahisar, the old fort that is the headquarters of the Frontier Corps in Peshawar. He laid a floral wreath at the memorial of the Shuhada and offered Fateha for the slain soldiers. Later, a smartly turned-out contingent of the FC presented salute to the interior minister.