INDIAN intelligence agency Research and Analysis Wing (RAW) has adopted Mossad-like tactics, and is involved in targeted assassinations of individuals beyond its borders. Assassinations of prominent Sikh leaders have been carried out in Canada, the United States and other destinations, and there are signs of RAW activities inside Pakistan as well. It is time Pakistan’s civil and intelligence agencies focussed on such criminal activities.

Indian ministers and other officials have openly talked about their involve- ment in these criminal activities, which they try to justify as being in their national security interests. We should consider our national interests as well.

The ease with which aliens manage to enter Pakistan through our western borders must stop. Unfortunately, the loopholes through which smuggling is carried out happen to be the same routes that our enemies exploit for terrorism and killing of foreign nationals in Pakistan. Our known enemies want to dissuade foreign investors, with the intent to aggravate our economic crisis.

At the time of partition in 1947, both Punjab and Sindh were divided and this dividing line was accepted as the international border. Similarly, our western border must be declared an international border, and properly fenced, with no freedom of movement, except through valid visas.

The porous border with Afghanistan benefits smugglers, including drug mafias, whic hinder any move to fence it. Through this route, foreign terrorists enter Pakistan, and have killed innumerable people and have destroyed the national economy. The Afghan transit trade also needs to be regulated as part of overall efforts to tighten border control.

Malik Tariq Ali
Lahore

Published in Dawn, May 17th, 2024