Torkham Standoff

Senseless

There is an urgent need to settle the Torkham border dispute. Afghan concerns, despite Kabul’s rhetoric, no doubt have their roots in the long argument over the Durand Line; a reality they have not accepted to this day. But just after the QCG breakdown, and Ghani’s recent chest thumping against Pakistan at the joint session of parliament in Kabul, this border dispute has come at a very bad time for Afghanistan. And that they have chosen confrontation instead of negotiation spells out their chosen course of action very clearly. The border post is, after all, inside Pakistani territory and therefore no business of the Afghans.

Yet the situation is, obviously, far more complicated. The basic problem with the long border – and hence the basic rationale for the post – is its porous nature. And it’s not as if putting Torkham under lock and key will even minutely impact infiltration that infuriates Kabul and Islamabad alike. What it can immediately do, and has already done to a large extent, is paralyse normal movement that thousands of people rely on for their day-to-day business. The movement from Afghanistan to Pakistan, especially, is badly impacted. A lot of people rely on Pakistan for their medical and educational needs, among other things. Thousands of such people have been stranded on both sides for days as the capitals exchange diplomatic fire even when cross border firing freezes temporarily.

Pakistan has long argued in favour of fencing the entire border. Why the Afghans would have a problem with that, especially since it would stop the infiltration they keep crying about, is difficult to understand; unless their obsession with the Line transcends immediate security concerns. And why the Americans would also discourage the fence is even more mind boggling. Yet Islamabad must take all parties along, since everybody will be impacted. It is advisable, therefore, that a fresh round of fence-specific negotiations be arranged so this senseless blame game can end once and for all.