QUETTA: Pakistan has completed 182km of the 213km-long fence at the Afghan border and work on the remaining 31km fence is expected to complete till April, a senior official told the meeting of civil and military officials here on Tuesday.

The meeting, which was presided over by Balochistan Home Minister Ziaullah Langove, discussed the ongoing border-fencing project, land settlement due to border fencing between the two countries and the overall law and order situation.

With the completion of the border fencing work, which was expected by April, the legal crossing between Pakistan and Afghanistan would increase manifold, the senior official said, expressing the hope that it would also have a positive impact on the economy of the neighbouring countries and create jobs opportunities for the residents of the border areas.

The meeting was also briefed about steps being taken in the wake of bilateral negotiations with the Afghan government and desires of the tribal elders regarding land settlement issues. The participants were told that the federal government was erecting fence at the Pak-Afghan border to curb terrorism and maintain law and order in the border and other areas of Balochistan.

Also, the officials reviewed the implementation of the decisions taken in the previous two meetings and suggested further steps for progress on the issues related to the border fencing.

182km work completed, remaining 31km to be fenced by April, officials told

The home minister directed the district administration and the Board of Revenue to submit their reports as soon as possible for resolving the land settlement issues amicably.

He said the border fencing helped Pakistan foil many terrorist plots.

Senator Manzoor Kakar, retired Capt Abdul Khaliq Achakzai, Additional Chief Secretary (Home) Hafiz Abdul Majid, Quetta Commissioner Asfandyar Kakar, Quetta DIG M. Akram Azhar, Chaman Scouts Commandant Colonel M. Rashid and Qila Abdullah Deputy Commissioner Tariq Javed Mengal attended the meeting.

Published in Dawn, February 10th, 2021