Islamabad on Tuesday dismissed the Afghan government’s assertions on border construction, as Afghanistan’s Deputy Foreign Minister Jawed Ludin recently claimed that the Pakistani military had started unilateral construction and was engaged in physical reinforcement activities along the border in Nangarhar.
The relations between both neighbourly countries were on the decline in last few months and allegation followed by counter allegations from both sides Islamabad and Kabul, once again driving the region towards regional instability.
Responding to the assertions by the Afghan deputy foreign minister, Foreign Office Spokesman Aizaz Ahmed Chaudhry rejected the recent accusations by Kabul and claimed that Pakistan had an old post called Gursal well inside Pakistani territory bordering Nangarhar province of Afghanistan, which was under routine renovation.
He said both sides were supposed to inform any new construction closer to border areas under the recently-signed Tripartite Border SOP.
“Despite being renovation work, Pakistan, as a gesture of goodwill, shared this information with the Afghan side. The same was also shared with the Afghan delegation visiting Mohmand Agency on January 24,” the spokesman said.
He said the renovation of the post was primarily meant to interdict terrorists and criminals as well as better management of the border area between Afghanistan and Pakistan.
“Afghan Deputy Foreign Minister Jawed Ludin’s recent concerns about construction and physical reinforcement along the Afghan border are therefore not in keeping with the spirit of the understanding on good border management and the recently signed Tripartite Border SOP”, Chaudhry said.
He noted that better management of the border through strengthening border posts located in each other’s territory were in the interest of the two countries to keep an effective check over terrorists and criminals. “Pakistan suggests to the Afghan government to take similar measures on their side of the border posts,” he said, adding that the Afghan deputy foreign minister’s concern about rocket and artillery attacks against different areas of Kunar province had also not been found correct as no rocket or artillery shells had been fired by the Pakistan Army in the recent days.
He said Pakistan remained committed to extending all possible support and facilitation for peace, reconciliation and stability in Afghanistan.
