Border attack

The Sunday night attack on three Pakistani border posts in the Mohmand Agency area along the Pak-Afghan border resulted in the death of five Pakistani soldiers. At least 10 terrorists were also killed in the attack, which has reopened questions about the presence of terrorist groups inside Afghan territory. COAS General Qamar Javed Bajwa has rightfully asserted the need to stop the movement of terrorists across the border. It is unfortunate that even after decades of dealing with issues of cross-border militancy, there has been no serious effort to create an effective monitoring mechanism on the Pak-Afghan border. The demand for there to be Pakistani troops on the Afghan side of the border may appear to be an angry and irrational response, but it is worth taking seriously. Why can there not be joint Afghan-Pakistan patrols on both sides of the border? Such a measure would go a long way towards allaying fears that state actors are complicit in cross-border trespassing. Sunday’s attack certainly suggests negligence on the part of the Afghan forces, who are tasked with ensuring that there is no illegal border crossing from their side of the border.

There is no doubt that cross-border terrorism is a serious problem. But the rather knee-jerk response to keep the border sealed must be avoided. Instead, there is a need to formalise the overtures being made by the two countries on the issue of cross-border terrorism. Neither country has reported any progress on the long lists handed by each to the other of terror suspects hiding in both countries. Due to the border closure, numerous Afghan families have been stranded on the Pakistani side of the border. It is no secret that many Afghans travel to Pakistan for medical treatment; it is also no secret that many Afghan markets depend on Pakistani produce. On its part, Afghanistan must investigate the Sunday night attack and take action on terrorist groups based in its territory. While the last part is easier said than done, effective border management is certainly an achievable goal. There is a need to understand that both countries lose out from their inability to protect the sanctity of their borders. Most terrorists do not attempt to use the official border crossing at Torkham which is why sealing the official border is merely a symbolic step that is hurting families and the economy. This is why reports that Pakistan is considering opening the border for two days to help stranded Afghan reach home are welcome. We hope more such efforts are made to ensure that we work together to protect ourselves from violence. The fact is that the best way to avenge the lives of our martyred is to work out a mutual strategy to fight terrorism.