While talking to a private TV Channel at Miramshah, Director General ISPR Major General Asif Ghafoor told that fencing work of 900 kilometer along Pak-Afghan border has been completed and remaining will be completed till the end of current year. He said the issue of Durand line is dead.
The fencing of 2600 kilometer long border with Afghanistan was inevitable to curb the entry of terrorist into Pakistan as the country has lost the lives of thousand of civilians and personnel of security forces in terrorist attacks during the past 12 years. After the induction of Soviet troops in Afghanistan, Pakistan adopted an open border policy for influx of Afghan refugees and was not reviewed. Likewise, 259 refugee camps were established and the movement of Afghan nationals was not regulated like the neighbouring country Iran.
Successive governments pursued a policy of masterly inactivity in the tribal belt of former FATA where TTP and terrorist organisations joined hands and established an evil empire. The civilian leadership maintained a policy of appeasement till the launching of operation Zarb-e Azab. The operation smashed the sanctuaries of terrorist outfits and restored the writ of the state. The border fencing in Khyber Pukhtunkhwa and Baluchistan will stop the cross border movement of militants. However, the repatriation of Afghan refugees also needs proper attention and they should be treated war refugees. A repatriation plan of Afghan nationals both registered and unregistered should be drawn without further delay.
