Part of the 2,600km border fence built by Pakistan on the Durand Line. Photograph by Nazar Ul Islam
Speaking with tribal elders in Peshawar earlier this week, Chief of Army Staff (COAS) Gen. Asim Munir reiterated concerns over threats to regional peace and stability posed by the involvement of Afghan nationals in terrorist incidents in Pakistan, as well as the interim Afghanistan government’s deviation from the Doha peace agreement. He also ruled out any talks with terrorists, saying the recent surge in terrorism was a “futile” effort to revive peace talks. “There is no option for these terrorists except to submit to the writ of state of Pakistan before they are decimated if they persist on their wrong path,” he added.
Curbing cross-border terrorism in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan poses a significant challenge for Pakistan, as the much-touted fencing of the Durand Line has not yielded the desired results. Last month, five terrorists were killed and nine Pakistan Army soldiers martyred after a garrison in Zhob was attacked, with the Foreign Office subsequently confirming at least three of the attackers were Afghan nationals. Traditionally, the Durand Line has been a largely porous border, with security forces more focused on the eastern border with India, leaving Pakistan in a tough spot. The Durand Line, designated by the British, has also proven a source of dispute between Islamabad and Kabul, with no formal treaty between the two recognizing it as their international border. The situation has only worsened with the return to power of the Afghan Taliban, with multiple reports of its fighters attempting to tear down the wire-fence and even opening fire on Pakistani checkposts across the border.
It is undeniable that the interim Taliban government has either failed to, or is unwilling to, enforce the writ of the state. Rather than relying on the Taliban to curb cross-border penetration, Pakistan needs to evolve a new strategy focused exclusively on safeguarding its western border. This will undoubtedly prove difficult, if not impossible, with the Taliban unwilling to accept the Durand Line as the internationally recognized border. Any solution will thus inevitably have to be one-sided, with Pakistan needing to ensure its western border is impregnable for the safety of its citizens and law enforcers.