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RAWALPINDI: Afghan Ambassador to Pakistan Omer Zakhilwal met Chief Of Army Staff (COAS) General Raheel Sharif on Friday and agreed to resolve the Torkham border issue and resume the routine cross border traffic, military spokesman Lt Gen Asim Bajwa said.
Tensions had heightened between Pakistan and Afghanistan as the two countries deployed tanks and armoured personnel carriers along the tense Torkham border, besides sending more troops after their negotiating teams failed to resolve the border fencing dispute, political administration sources had told Dawn newspaper on Thursday.
But the situation did not last long as during Friday's meeting both sides agreed to resume routine cross border traffic on the Torkham border and reiterated their commitment to to fight terror and bring lasting peace in the region.
The ISPR chief added that bilateral relations, particularly the border management issue was discussed in detail during the meeting of Afghan envoy with army chief.
Related: Afghan border security official arrested from Pishin over spying charges
Pakistan had started fencing some vulnerable points of the border with Afghanistan to plug illegal and secret border crossings and movements of people.
Afghanistan has objected to the border fencing and officially protested to Pakistan over the issue.
Because of the tense situation, the border remained closed for last three days.
Negotiating teams of the two countries briefly met at the Pakistan side of the border on Thursday but could not resolve the issue leaving scores of travellers and traders stranded on both sides of the border for a couple of days.
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Comments (75) Closed
May 13, 2016 06:54pm
What does civilian government do in Pakistan?
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May 13, 2016 06:56pm
if USA can have a border with Mexico, and India with Pakistan, what's the problem with Afghanistan to stop illegal movement?
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May 13, 2016 06:59pm
Afghans dealing directly with Pakistani military. Where is the civilian govt of Pakistan ?.
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May 13, 2016 07:04pm
Why he did not meet the PM.
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May 13, 2016 07:05pm
Hope that its not opened.please put the barriers and than issue visas for them.
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May 13, 2016 07:07pm
Fence our border and ask Afghanistan to take back all the refugees now. Its time to free Pakistan from terrorism...
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May 13, 2016 07:12pm
Why haven't we seen a single clear reason from the Afghans over why the fences are causing so much outrage among them? We're just trying to stop illegals from entering our country, why does this bother the Afghans so much?
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May 13, 2016 07:16pm
SEAL the border and build a wall,
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May 13, 2016 07:20pm
Why Afghan ambassador has to talk to our COAS. Where is our foreign office. Oh sorry, just realized that we don't have a Foreign minister.
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May 13, 2016 07:24pm
We must fence the whole Pak-Afghan border just like the one with India. And send refugees back too.
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May 13, 2016 07:27pm
Why do we need to open that border anyways??? There is nothing but hatred and destruction coming through it. Seal the border, we don't need them and they don't need us. They can take their business elsewhere, to India, i guess.
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May 13, 2016 07:31pm
Why every ill is to be treated by the COAS? For what good is our civilian administration?
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May 13, 2016 07:31pm
No matter what. Pakistan wants border management system on the borders of both the countries.
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May 13, 2016 07:59pm
It shows that our democratic leaders are rubber stamps. The real and absolute powers rest with our military
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May 13, 2016 08:00pm
So why exactly do we have a govt. in place when its not going to do anything on any issues except collect money for personal businesses and army does everything?
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May 13, 2016 08:00pm
Here is our country where current PML-L is in power and facing PanamaGate issue but their candidate won seat at Peshwar contest. It's long time that our country will have conscious and abilities to select parliament. Current government doesn't have time to resolve border issues as it has other pressing project e.g.
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May 13, 2016 08:02pm
Let us fix Durand Line as the International Border as it is the border for all practical purposes, except free terror exchanges.
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May 13, 2016 08:08pm
Anything that stops Afghan or drug smugglers.. is seen as a problem by the Afghan govt.
Pak has a right to build a fence or wall to protect our nation from troubles.
Build it asap at all costs and send back Afghan Refugees!
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May 13, 2016 08:08pm
@Desi Dimag Build metros and take a nice % into Panama off shore trusts
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May 13, 2016 08:08pm
Pak Afghan border should be fenced. Just like India has fenced on the eastern side. Afghans want to be busy with illegal weapon and drug trade and movement of terrorists. Well done Pakistan carry on with the fence. Its in our best interest and we are doing it on our side. No body should have any objections.
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May 13, 2016 08:12pm
It may well have been a ploy to bend Afghans on one hand and reassert Khaki supremacy on security matters on other.
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May 13, 2016 08:14pm
Seal the border
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May 13, 2016 08:18pm
A confederate agreement would solve all these problems once and for all.
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May 13, 2016 08:36pm
@Desi Dimag they take care of offshore accounts. Please dont expect everything from them.
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May 13, 2016 08:39pm
@AAK1 Who has the power in Pakistan?
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May 13, 2016 08:41pm
First of all send back all refugees to Afghanistan. And seal the border. Without possessing a propper visa document. No one should be allowed to cross the border.
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May 13, 2016 08:42pm
Under the present conditions, Imran Khan is the best person to deal with Afghanistan about his Province's border dispute with them.
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May 13, 2016 08:49pm
This is brilliant omen for fight against terror.
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May 13, 2016 08:50pm
@Desi Dimag let me just speculate...i believe its somewhat like subsidiary alliance sytem of lord wellesly....army controls foreign relation defense and strategic issue and civilian govt controls internal affairs and running day today life of country...that is closest example i know
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May 13, 2016 08:54pm
@Desi Dimag It demonstrates how much weak and powerless the government is, that even outsiders are recognizing military as the sole powerful element in the country.
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May 13, 2016 08:55pm
@Pakistani ... ind-pak border wall/fence build by india.
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May 13, 2016 08:56pm
@Desi Dimag
they run the economy, agriculture, education, transport, energy (what there is) etc.
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May 13, 2016 08:58pm
Seal the border with Afghanistan until the govt. there
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May 13, 2016 09:00pm
@Israr Khan IsmailZai
what a naive suggestion, you must be a young man. A lot of Pakistan's exports go to Afghanistan through the border! As well as much of Afghanistan's imports which provide thousands of jobs in Pakistan.
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May 13, 2016 09:03pm
The border needs to be fenced, and sealed if required.
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May 13, 2016 09:07pm
I think Afghanistan is seeing the results of supporting India... pretty soon, they will need to find other sources for trade since Pakistan will become very difficult. They will only have India to thank for this change in policy.
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May 13, 2016 09:14pm
If even the foreign government look to Gen. Raheel to resolve issues between governments, and Army, Rangers are supposed to go after terrorists and target killers, and corrupt political mafias, why shouldn't therefore Gen. Raheel be head of the government?
Clearly, this is a clear indictment as to the incompetence and ineffectiveness of the NS government.
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May 13, 2016 09:17pm
This is a clear endorsement of the military, and vote of no confidence in the civilian government of Pakistan. I bet, next time even top American officials will go straight to the Military HQ, and by pass diplomatic protocols of civilian government in Pakistan.
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May 13, 2016 09:20pm
Electric fencing is the good option.
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May 13, 2016 09:22pm
Those illegal travellers are becoming reason of keeping bomb blasts network and spies network.
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May 13, 2016 09:22pm
The Defence and Foreign affairs are with the army in Pakistan...Calling Gen. Raheel Sharif is a wrong number for Afghanistan...the General is a no nonsense man, Afghanistan will have to correct their direction and stop playing a stooge in the hands of India... and then call the General...
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May 13, 2016 09:30pm
Pak army is doing the right thing. We must protect our borders, we must put fence and wall on the troubled borders for better control. Stand firm guys!!! We are with you.
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May 13, 2016 09:30pm
Everyone in the world know who holds the real power to get things done in Pakistan. And it's not the civilian government, which is too busy looting, or coming up with novel excuses to cover up damning done by Panama papers.
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May 13, 2016 09:34pm
@Desi Dimag ; Why do you care so much about Pakistani issues?
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May 13, 2016 09:34pm
Does Afghanistan even have tanks to deploy?
Such a shameful act by Afghanistan govt.
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May 13, 2016 09:38pm
@Mahmood --Americans always go to military.They have made it powerful and decide promotions .
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May 13, 2016 09:40pm
@Iztraab If it does, they won't be running for too long, because the all the fuel needed in Afghanistan currently travels through Pakistan.
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May 13, 2016 09:59pm
@Iztraab Afghanistan does not have tanks. i think media does to add spice. Never the less Afghans are hostile to Pakistan
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May 13, 2016 10:00pm
@Pakistani just like india? Its India who has fenced not Pakistan
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May 13, 2016 10:01pm
@PAK we care because we want people to have their rule.
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May 13, 2016 10:02pm
@Desi Dimag there never been a civilian government in Pakistan
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May 13, 2016 10:16pm
@Mahmood top Americans already going to Raheel Shareef
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May 13, 2016 10:22pm
Civilian Govt should decide not COAS as it will set bad president!
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May 13, 2016 11:07pm
Afghanistan is stuck between a rock and an efing hard place!
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May 13, 2016 11:35pm
Can the general meet who ever he wants? No civilian control? How can a country have two supreme leaders?
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May 13, 2016 11:44pm
The border with Afghanistan should have been sealed long time back, better late than never. Send the refugees back home, put an end to terrorism, drugs and crimes from across the border. Save the children of Pakistan, please no more politics on border and refugees issues, put an end to this now.
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May 13, 2016 11:51pm
Strange,that a country that didn't exist before 1760 and used to be part of Mughal Empire is dictating us its terms! It's in the interest of Afghanis to accept the dictates of time and current realities.They had better focus their attention on making their state a viable state."Pidram Sultan bood" mantra is no longer effective in today's world.
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May 14, 2016 12:29am
Why would Afghanistan NOT want to fence the border; that is the real question.
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May 14, 2016 12:43am
@Desi Dimag Mind your own bussiness
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May 14, 2016 01:14am
Afghans are our brothers and Pakistan is 2nd home to Afghans. Sad to see such things happening. Fence and walls wont stop bad guys from entering in any country but it creates alot of problems for good ones..
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May 14, 2016 01:33am
@Desi Dimag it's a military matter. Where would the civilian government the the ambassador in the first place.
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May 14, 2016 02:44am
@AAK1 what PM?
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May 14, 2016 03:04am
@Tamil Guru
Civilian government busy in hiding more illegal and stolen money in off shore companies and accounts;
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May 14, 2016 03:36am
@Israr Khan IsmailZai exactly and send all of them from Pakistan to India or Iran which they love more - just to realize the real brutal faces. Pakistan is like a heaven for them - everything free ....
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May 14, 2016 04:23am
Where will Afghanistan gets it food supplies of Pakistan shuts the border? The Afghans should be thankful that we let them use our country as a trading route. Can they afford to get everything through alternate routes?
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May 14, 2016 04:24am
Maybe Trump cam build a wall, a beautiful and great Wall!
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May 14, 2016 04:44am
Its not a border but Durand line. A lone drawn on the heart of Pukhtoons. Fencing will not be allowed.
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May 14, 2016 05:32am
we dont need fences which can be cut easily rather we need a bomb proof kind of wall. if we need prolonged peace in pakistan we have to make a wall, mine the area within 1 km on both sides of the wall, make secure check points for crossing with scanners and jammers, and start issuing visas or any other method of checking of afghans coming to pak. even if this costs us a billion dollar we should do this ASAP. this will solve many of our issues. I remember such proposal was under discussion under president musharraf regime but was opposed by USA, Afghans and even UN whereas they dont the same when india does it.
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May 14, 2016 05:38am
Fencing is good
They are two countries and a recognised borders
It's not Afghanistan but UN has recognition
So whets the problem
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May 14, 2016 05:42am
PAK, Afghan and US must cooperate in fencing border to deal with terrorism.
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May 14, 2016 07:48am
Who runs Pakistan ? is it General Raheel or PM Navaz Shareef..... Its a billion dollar question to rest of the world
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May 14, 2016 09:33am
Where is our Prime Minster. Shame
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May 14, 2016 09:48am
@Logic. Afghanistan never considered & will never consider the Duran line a legal border, that is why Afghanistan opposing it.
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May 14, 2016 10:03am
@Pakistani Because Afghanistan historically doesn't recognize the border.
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May 14, 2016 11:55am
Pakistan should encourage Afghanistan and to avail Gwadar port instead of China. After all Afghanistan is your younger brother.
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