PESHAWAR, Feb 19: The president of Industrial Association Peshawar, Noman Wazir, has said that besides countering militancy, the fencing of borders with Afghanistan will also help reduce the smuggling of consumer goods from the war-ravaged country.

In a statement issued here on Monday, Mr Wazir said that the smuggling “badly affects local manufacturers, even forcing them to close down their industries.”

“This is not a good omen for the industrial sector in the province,” he observed.

He cited the example of smuggled cycles from Afghanistan in this regard.

Mr Wazir said nobody had the right to stop the government from taking measures to strengthen security along the border.

“Pakistan has the right to take decisions about its internal and external security independently,” he asserted.