Pakistan is determined to construct gates at the border with Afghanistan

Lahore : Special Assistant to the Prime Minister on Foreign Affairs, Syed Tariq Fatemi on Friday said
that Pakistan was determined to construct gates at all major exit and crossing points along the border with Afghanistan to check illegal cross-border movement.

Effective border management with Afghanistan was also essential to achieve the positive results of the two years of successful counter-terrorism campaign carried out in the form of the Operation Zarb-e-Azb, Tariq Fatemi said while speaking in a PTV programme.

Terming the reaction of Afghanistan on this issue as “unfortunate”, he said, the matter of border management was discussed with Afghanistan at the highest levels.He said Pakistan would construct gates with all required facilities on major seven entry and crossing points along the border with Afghanistan, adding, the construction would be done well in side the Pakistani territory.

Tariq Fatemi said no international law bars Pakistan from such construction as most of the countries in the world including US and Canada despite enjoying close and friendly relations have the border control systems.

To a question he said there was no need of any third- party intervention as Pakistan and Afghanistan being the neighbours and close friends were in contact and could resolve their issues bilaterally.

In response to another question, Tariq Fatemi was confident that Afghanistan will never allow its soil to be used against Pakistan.

To a question, he said, Pakistan was hosting over 3 million Afghan refugees for the last over 35 years, adding,but now it has been decided that they will have to go to their home country, adding, Pakistan had urged the international community to help create enabling environment in Afghanistan.