Pakistan Seals Border along Mohmand Agency
By Hassan Mohmand - Pakistan Times NWFP Bureau Chief

PESHAWAR: Pakistan Army with the active support of the local tribesmen, FC and Khasadar force has effectively sealed the border in Mohmand Agency which shared 68 kilometer long international border with Afghanistan and ruled out the possibility that any terrorist sneaked into the agency after the deployment of the army in the agency in June 2003.

“We have effectively sealed the border and will not allow any terrorist to enter into the agency,” said Brigade Commander Brigadier Muhammad Iqbal while briefing foreign journalists at the headquarters of Mohmand Rifles in Ghalanay on Tuesday.

Anti-Terrorism Crusade

The army is vigorously pursuing the agenda of anti terrorism and implementing well thought out plan for the development of backward Mohmand Agency, he added.

“Now there is not a single inch of land in the agency which is no go area after the induction of the army in the agency in June 2003,” he remarked.

The local tribesmen welcomed and garlanded the Army troops when it entered the no go area of the agency - Khwezai and Baizai - establishing the writ of the government over the entire agency.

Conducive Environ

Extremely conducive environ prevailed in the agency for carrying out development works, he added. Due to fast communication system and improved intelligence net work, whatever happened in the agency, is brought in the notice of the high up in ten minutes times, he told the foreign journalists.

Overall, he said, the three major tribes: Mohmand, Safis and Utmankhel of Mohmand agency are peaceful who never established links with Taliban or Al-Qaeda, and added “We know the people in agency on finger tips as to who is who.” Our main concern is to bring the Mohmand Agency in the mainstream of national development. Trade is the main source of income of the tribes living on both sides of the border. Since 1970, he said, four attempts were made to open the inaccessible areas of the agency but all in vain.

Perspective

However, in June 2003, the Government moved ahead with a determination to open up the no go areas Khewezai and Baizai bordering Afghanistan to establish its writ right up to the international border and to ensure peaceful environ for the execution of development works in the agency.

In the first phase political efforts were initiated by the political administration of the agency and in the second phase FC operation was launched between June 15 and 28 and then Army operation began from June 29 onward.

Brigadier Iqbal said, as per the Durand Line agreement, Easement Right is available to the tribes living on both sides of the border. There are no restrictions on the movement of the tribes on either side of the border. “We have just regulated their movement,” he elaborated.

Cross Border Firing

About the incidents of cross border firing, Brigade Commander said that we are maintaining maximum restraint from our side. The cross border firing incidents have been curtailed to a great extent for the last couple of days, he added. He said, criminal activities in these areas were at its peak, however, after induction of the army, not a single event of looting, killing or abduction has occurred in the agency.

To a question, he said in categorical terms that the Pakistan army is sitting well within its demarcated area and we have not moved an inch into the Afghan territory and out rightly denounced their claims in this regard. However, he was optimistic about early settlement of dispute over the demarcation of areas between Pakistan and Afghanistan as a tripartite committee working on the matter. “In fact we are using UK maps whereas Afghans are depending upon Russian maps,” he said. There is small difference of opinion and could be resolved by the parties concerned.

When asked whether Afghan militia or coalition forcers were involved in firing at the Pakistani posts, Brigadier Iqbal said, it was in fact the Afghan militia.●