PESHAWAR, July 13: The Pakistan Army, with the active support of local tribesmen, FC and Khasadar force, has effectively sealed the border in Mohmand Agency which shares 68-kilometre-long international border with Afghanistan
and ruled out the possibility that any terrorist sneaked into the agency after the deployment of the army in the agency in June 2003.
"We have effectively sealed the border and will not allow any terrorist to enter the agency," said Brigade Commander Brigadier Muhammad Iqbal while briefing foreign journalists at the headquarters of Mohmand Rifles in Ghalanay on Tuesday.
The army is vigorously pursuing the agenda of anti-terrorism and implementing well-thought-out plan for the development of backward Mohmand Agency, he added.
"Now there is not a single inch of land in the agency which is a no-go area now after the induction of the army in the agency in June 2003," he remarked. The local tribesmen welcomed and garlanded the army troops when they entered the no-go area of the agency - Khwezai and Baizai - to establish the writ of the government over the entire agency.
Extremely conducive environ prevailed in the agency for carrying out development works, he added. Due to fast communication system and improved intelligence network, whatever happened in the agency, was brought to the notice of the high-ups in 10 minutes' time, he told the foreign journalists.
Overall, he said, the three major tribes - Mohmand, Safis and Utmankhel - of the Mohmand agency were peaceful who never established links with Taliban or Al-Qaeda. "We know the people in agency on finger-tips as to who is who. Our main concern is to bring the Mohmand Agency in the mainstream of national development," he said.
Brigadier Iqbal said as per the Durand Line agreement, Easement Right was available to the tribes living on both sides of the border and there were no restrictions on the movement of tribesmen on either side of the border. "We have just regulated their movement," he elaborated.
About the incidents of cross-border firing, the Brigade Commander said: "We are maintaining the maximum restraint from our side. The cross-border firing incidents have been curtailed to a great extent in the last couple of days," he added.
He said criminal activities in these areas were at its peak in the past. However, after the induction of the army, not a single event of looting, killing or abduction had occurred in the agency, he said.
To a question, he declared in categorical terms that the Pakistan Army was sitting well within its demarcated area and "we have not moved an inch into the Afghan territory" and outrightly denounced Afghan claims in this regard.
Later, Colonel Tahir from Engineering Corps briefed the visiting journalists about development projects under construction in the agency under the supervision of the Pakistan Army.
The key sectors are development of communication infrastructure and water supply schemes as there was scarcity of water in the agency, he added. He said at present 12 tube-wells were under construction.
Tribal elder Malik Muhammad Ali Halimzai told journalists that the tribesmen of the agency had invited the army to establish its writ in the no-go areas in 2003. He was thankful to President Musharraf for taking a keen interest in the development of backward Mohmand Agency.
He said tribesmen were patriotic people and they would not allow anybody to use their soil for terrorist activities. -APP
