- Mudeer Khan
History is full of disputes and clashes over shared borders. It had always remained a very brittle issue substantiating reasons of contention between the countries. For example, the United States of America – Mexico, US- Canada, , Iran –Iraq, Pakistan-Afghanistan , Saudi Arabia (KSA) –Yemen and many more are having history of brutal contentions. Countries have suffered a lot in terms of losing lives and resources while addressing the border related issues. History also points that while considering these border related issues , at times, the perpetrator of negativity doesn’t want to address it, due to certain hidden agendas. Maintaining an environment of lawlessness at the border; suits certain elements of one side for exerting force against the other side. Countries having better coordination to address the border management system are much in peace and tranquility than the countries avoiding the addressable issue of border management.
In our region, unfortunately ,when we talk about Pakistan– Afghanistan border, it is acknowledged by the majority of the countries in UN that Pakistan always struggled to control or regulate the Pak-Afghan border. However, unfortunately Afghanistan has always hurdled the initiatives for resolving the Border issues. Its a very common observation that Afghan security forces frequently resort to indiscriminate firing on Pakistani check posts and civilian population, inflicting serious casualties. Afghan government has always blamed Pakistan for the border violations, without presenting any tangible proves. Afghan forces by carrying out indiscriminate firing, even resisted the making of structures meant for customs and human checking, very much inside Pakistan’s territory. In such like situation at a border, which is otherwise so porous that humanly it is not possible to guard the tough and rugged mountainous area. The recent act of terrorism against Pakistan, when a serving Pakistani Police officer was abducted and later on killed in Afghanistan. It as a major conformation of lack of border checking and mismanagement. Since there are number of unfrequented routes and points at porous Pak-Afghan border, which are yet to be fenced by Pakistan. Experts are of the view that same burden of responsibility also lies on the Afghan government to ensure checked movements at Pak-Afghan border. Pakistan has made the commitment to address this issue by erecting barbed wire along the Pak-Afghan border and maintaining strict border management regime, despite resistance from Afghanistan. The irrational opposition against Pakistan for strictly manning the border affairs by the Afghan government in current security situation, cast serious doubts about the Afghan government’s willingness to control the borders. However, it is an undeniable fact that the absence of Afghan government’s writ on the Afghan side of the border ,like many other areas, still facilitates terrorists to undertake terrorist activities against Pakistan.
There is also no doubt that escalation of tensions at Pak- Afghan border is deliberately engineered by the elements opposed to the improvement of bilateral relations between Pakistan and Afghanistan. Besides, role of Pakistan as a facilitator of the Afghan peace process has also become an apple of discord. Earlier, tension between Pakistan and Afghanistan flared up when Kabul objected to the border fencing within the Pakistan territory citing “Durand Line issue”. Afghan troops had frequently resorted to indiscriminate firing on Pakistani posts. Pakistan has previously suggested many initiatives to resolve the mutual differences but those solutions had emerged with utmost vigor but lost their momentum, due to lack of proper follow-up and feedback mechanism by Afghanistan. Afghanistan has no other option but to cooperate and resolve her differences through political and diplomatic dialogue. Pakistan is very much committed to tackle the problem of terrorism mainly emanating from Afghanistan. Hence, the effective Border management has become a priority and imperative for Pakistan. Enhancing and chocking the routes through effective border management would also serve as a strict check on both sides to counter the free movement of terrorists and drug mafia , who are the important factors of deteriorating security sit in Afghanistan. Same has obvious backlash on Pakistan’s security efforts and peaceful environment in the country.
The improving bilateral relations between Pakistan and Afghanistan, was only witnessed during the initial term of the office led by the Afghan President Ashraf Ghani, which although short lived, but it did raise the alarm bells amongst our sworn enemies. They have been orchestrating negativity against the progressive Pak -Afghan relations; through smear and sinister scheming, spearheaded by India. Besides, there are efforts to sow the seeds of mistrust between the brotherly countries. Therefore, it is imperative for both the countries to develop a framework for strategic dialogue, focused on short, medium and long term solutions. As a trust building initiative, an effective border management mechanism should strictly be pursued and implemented, which could be beneficial for both the countries. Moreover, such establishment would also plug in many loop holes, being exploited by terrorists to conduct cross border terrorism. Afghanistan unwillingness to cooperate on the issue of maintaining effective Border management at Pakistan- Afghan border is strengthening the doubts and its becoming a common belief among the think tanks that the intentional escalation of tensions at western border by Afghanistan is intrinsically meant for helping India to augment her sinister activities against Pakistan and creating disturbances in the region for effecting the containment of China and Russia. Practically India and Afghanistan have displayed their ground collaboration in the subversive activities against Pakistan. In this context, the international community must exert their influence on Afghanistan to create harmony in the region and shun all such efforts which are deliberately spoiling the peace of the region, otherwise it would catalyze the over all deterioration of peace in the region having international impacts.
