QUETTA: Interior Minister Rehman Malik said on Wednesday that Pakistan had decided to restore biometric system on its border with Afghanistan from Nov 30 to stop illegal crossing from both sides.
Speaking at a press conference at Sarawan House at the end of his two-day visit to Quetta, he said no-one would be allowed to cross the border without going through the screening process.
The minister visited the border and reviewed the situation there.
He said in view of the prevailing situation Pakistan had decided to introduce the most modern system at its border with Afghanistan in Balochistan and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.
Mr Malik said illegal border crossing was the main problem for people who were running their businesses in Pakistani town of Chaman and the Vesh area of Afghanistan.
Referring to the law and order situation in Balochistan, the minister disclosed that some people imprisoned in jails were sabotaging peace in Quetta.
“Intelligence agencies have given phone data to the government about involvement of some high-profile prisoners in Balochistan,” he said. The Federal Investigation Agency would investigate the matter because police did not have facilities to probe such cases, he added.
He alleged that the banned outfits of Punjab were fanning unrest in Balochistan.
“I have visited the Hazara community and met Sunni leaders and found that both wanted an end to sectarian hatred and violence.”
He said a peace conference would be held in Quetta next month to promote religious harmony and check extremism. The Imam-i-Ka’aba and other religious scholars from different schools of thought will be invited, he added.
“My ministry will provide all possible assistance to the provincial government to hold the conference,” Mr Malik said.
In reply to a question, he claimed that the government’s list contained only 54 names as missing persons in Balochistan and said it was wrong to say that the number was 6,000.
Mr Malik said he would take up the issue with President Asif Ali Zardari.
He claimed that the incidents of target killing had decreased in Quetta. An effective strategy was being evolved to check crimes in Balochistan, particularly target killing of innocent people, he added.
The minister said that efforts were afoot to bring angry Baloch nationalists into the mainstream and claimed that the law and order situation had improved in the province thanks to efforts made by the governor, chief minister and home minister.
He said the government would respect the angry Baloch nationalists who respected the national flag.
“Angry Baloch leaders should come down from the mountains and hold talks with the government which is ready to listen to their complaints,” Mr Malik said.
Responding to a question, he said the government had received messages from extremist Taliban groups for peace talks, but a dialogue would be held only with those who would lay down their arms.
AFP adds: Pakistan had installed the biometric system on a trial basis in January 2007 at Chaman.
But on the second day, thousands of Afghan tribesmen attacked the border gates, forcing authorities to close the crossing. The protest was against the biometric system and a Pakistani plan to fence and mine parts of the border.
Further protests saw Pakistan shelve the system.
The biometric system is designed to replace the previous permit system, by issuing border passes to people after recording their fingerprints, retinas or facial patterns for identification.
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