Pakistan’s Foreign Office (FO) has expressed its desire for a peaceful and friendly border with Afghanistan. It claims that unprovoked firing by Afghan border security forces strengthens terrorist groups. The FO’s statement came in response to remarks from Afghanistan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs about the temporary closure of the Pakistan-Afghanistan border at Torkham after a gun battle between border forces. The Taliban administration’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs had criticized the closure and accused Pakistan of violating good neighborliness. Pakistan’s local administration official explained that Afghan forces were trying to establish a check post in an area where it was agreed that both sides would not do so. Pakistan objected to this violation of its sovereignty. The FO argued that firing on Pakistani border posts cannot be justified and it benefits terrorist elements present in Afghanistan. Temporary closures only occur in extreme cases, such as terror attacks launched from Afghan soil. The FO also dismissed the Afghan Ministry of Foreign Affairs’ irrelevant comments and unsolicited advice about Pakistan’s economy and foreign trade. Pakistan expects the Afghan interim authorities to respect its concerns and prevent the use of Afghan territory for attacks against Pakistan. The closure of the border has caused significant losses for businesses and has impacted bilateral trade relations between the two countries.
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