PESHAWAR: In what appears to be a quid pro quo, Pakistan handed over the contentious Angoor Adda border crossing between Pakistan and Afghanistan in South Waziristan to Afghan authorities on Saturday.

A statement issued by the Inter Services Public Relations said that the “purpose-built” crossing facility, which includes a gate and compound, at Angoor Adda was handed over to the Afghan authorities to “strengthen brotherly relations between Pakistan and Afghanistan”.

This was done with a “strategic intent to improve border management”, said the statement, adding that the gesture was envisioned to bring momentum to the establishment of peace and stability along the Pak-Afghan border.

“It was reiterated during the process that all border-related issues will be amicably resolved through mutual consultations subsequently,” the statement said. The resolve was echoed by a senior security official who told Dawn that the two countries had come to an understanding on the need to remove irritants and focus on resolving border issues amicably.

ISPR hopes the decision will boost ties with Kabul

The border crossing facility at Angoor Adda, situated 35 kilometres off South Waziristan’s regional headquarters of Wana, has been a bone of contention between the two countries ever since it was built nearly a year ago. The gate and compound were being manned by Pakistan Army personnel until recently.

The issue had led to an exchange of fire on July 1 last year between the two sides, resulting in the death of an Afghan police border guard and injuries to two Pakistani soldiers. The Afghan government had summoned Pakistan’s envoy over the incident.

The Afghans had accused Pakistan of encroaching and building an illegal structure over its territory. An official said the issue was resolved after “border alignment” and the facility was handed over to the Afghans. “We hope this would lead toward resolution of other such issues on the border,” the official said.

The Pak-Afghan border at Torkham, one of the main crossing points between the two countries, remained closed for a few days earlier this month, bringing about a stand-off between security forces on both sides, after the Afghans objected to the construction of a fence on the Pakistani side. Pakistan maintains it is well within its rights to construct the fence as part of its strategy to improve border management on its side.

The decision to reopen the border crossing was made in a meeting between Army Chief General Raheel Sharif and Afghan Ambassador Omar Zakhilwal earlier this month. Following the meeting, the Afghan authorities have stopped raising concern over the fencing while construction work is currently under way at the crossing.

Published in Dawn, May 22nd, 2016