PAKISTAN:Pakistan has told its army to examine a plan to fence off and mine part of its long and porous border with Afghanistan, a move likely to further fuel tensions between the two countries.
Foreign secretary Riaz Muhammad Khan told a press conference yesterday that safe-transit passages along the newly fortified stretches of the 2,380km (1,480 miles) border would allow the cross-border movement of both Afghans and Pakistanis.
Pakistan is not a signatory to the anti-landmines Geneva Convention and other international agr eements that restrict building of fences along international borders, Mr Khan explained.
"This decision reflects Islamabad's policy to stop militants from using its soil against Afghanistan and we will do our utmost to stem the flow of militants across the Durand Line [ border]," Mr Khan said, adding that "while mining can be done expeditiously, fencing will take longer".
Assisted by US funding, Pakistan maintains 80,000 troops on its borders with Afghanistan, with about 800 checkpoints. Every day, at least 15,000 Pakistanis and Afghans cross over. - (Guardian service)