ISLAMABAD: Pakistan on Thursday signalled its readiness to get past recent tensions with Afghanistan over terror sanctuaries, but did not commit to immediate reopening of border crossings.

“Pakistan is ready to work with Afghan­istan on all issues in a spirit of mutual respect, trust and cooperation... Decision on the reopening of Pak-Afghan border will be taken in due course,” Foreign Office spokesman Nafe­­es Zakaria said at the weekly media briefing.

His comments followed a statement by Afghan Ambassador in Islamabad Omar Zak­h­ilwal that he had written to the military leadership to seek the reopening of border crossings.

“In my letter to the Pakistan’s military leadership today I strongly hoped that the crossing points were opened today without causing any further unnecessary hardship,” the envoy had said.

Decision on border reopening will be taken in due course of time

Closure of border crossings was ordered by Army chief Gen Qamar Javed Bajwa on Feb 16 hours after terrorists struck Lal Shahbaz Qalandar’s shrine in Sehwan, killing over 90 people. All traffic between the two countries has remained suspended since then causing immense difficulties to people of landlocked Afghanistan, who conduct most of their external trade through Pakistan. Pakistan has frequently used border closure for expr­e­ssing its annoyance with Afghanistan on different issues. This time the military closed the crossings to pressurise Kabul to give up its inaction against Pakistani terrorist groups that have taken up sanctuaries on its soil from where they are directing attacks here.

Amb Zakhilwal said the Pakistani authorities had promised to reopen the crossings, but had not fulfilled their pledge so far.

“As part of quick de-escalation of the prevailing tension between Afghanistan and Pakistan, as agreed in our talks with the relevant Pakistani authorities a couple of days ago, Torkham, Spin Boldak and other crossing points should have reopened by now but unfortunately still remain shut,” he said while referring to his talks with Pakistani officials.

He said border closures hurt rights of Afghanistan as a landlocked country.

“Formal trade and transit crossing points between our two countries, under no circumstances, should have been closed in the first place, both as per the Afgha­nistan-Pakistan Trade and Transit Agreement and also Afghanistan’s land-locked country transit rights according to international rules,” he said. “Closure of these crossing points, which are heavily regulated with full checking arrangements on both sides, served no purpose other than to inflict hardship on ordinary people and hurt trade and transit,” he said.

FO spokesman Zakaria confirmed that contacts between the two countries after the showdown on sanctuaries had been positive.

“During the Afghan ambassador’s meeting with the adviser (to the prime minister on foreign affairs), he assured him of his country’s cooperation. Both sides agreed that meaningful engagement is imperative for addressing the challenge of cross-border terrorism.

Published in Dawn, February 24th, 2017