ISLAMABAD, Sept 5: Pakistan has sent thousands of troop reinforcements to its western border to help stop a Taliban-led insurgency during the Afghan parliamentary election scheduled for Sept 18, according to a military spokesman. Around 5,000 extra troops had been sent to the Frontier province and 4,500 more to Balochistan, taking the total deployed in the border areas to almost 80,000, said Major-General Shaukat Sultan.
“The step has been taken to enhance security on the border before the Afghan elections,” Mr Sultan told Reuters, though he added that given the length of the border and rugged terrain, it was impossible to seal the frontier completely.
An officer of the Frontier Corps, Major Mohammad Ibrahim told newsmen in Chaman on Monday that besides Frontier Corps personnel, regular Army men had also been deployed along the border.
All the non-traditional entrance and exit points on the border with Afghanistan had been sealed and only the Friendship Gate at Chaman would remain open for the people travelling with legal documents, he said.
Latest scanners and secret cameras had also been installed along the border, he said.—Agencies
