Corps Commanders review border management, internal security

The 246th Corps Commanders’ Conference on Tuesday presided over by Chief of Army Staff (COAS) General Qamar Javed Bajwa at General Headquarter (GHQ) in Rawalpindi took comprehensive review of the security situation with particular focus on Border Management and Internal Security.

The participants were apprised on the progress and achievements of Operation Radd ul Fassad in detail, said the Director General Inter Services Public Relations in a media release.

On the occasion, the COAS appreciated the efforts of formations involved in relief operations to mitigate challenges of people affected due to snow storm in Murree and heavy rainfalls in Balochistan.

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The Army Chief expressed satisfaction over operational preparedness of the formations and emphasized continued mission oriented training to ensure combat readiness in the face of emerging threats and challenges.

On 6^th January, DG ISPR Major General Babar Iftikhar addressed a press conference in Rawalpindi and accepted that there was disruption during the fencing on the Pak-Afghan border.

In response to a question whether Pakistan protested with Afghan government on damaging the fencing, Iftikhar said when we talk about the western border management it has Pak-Afghan border it has some very local, operational and strategic dynamics and Islamabad needs to keep addressing that from time-to-time.

The DG ISPR, however, stated that the recent reports of Taliban removing the fencing along the western border were localised incidents or two which had been taken up by officials at the highest level of both the countries.

“As far as this fencing incident you are referring to they are much localized problems and they have been addressed,” he stated adding that the government was in contact with the Afghan interim government.

“As I said in my brief we have very good relations we understand each other and we keep talking about different issues that keep surfacing fencing also being one of them if there is any issue on that,” he added.

“It is a fence of peace. It will be completed and remain [in place],” he maintained.

Read more: Corps Commanders Conference apprised on prevalent situation in Afghanistan

He further added that 97 per cent of the fencing along the Pak-Afghan border had been completed and also stated that people will be able to cross the border from designated points.

“The process will be eased in coming months,” he elaborated.

He further reviewed that in 2021, 164 watch towers were built along the Pak-Afghan border, 131 along the Pak-Iran border. In total 673 border forts, post and terminals have been built.

“To make border security stable, Pakistan has created 67 new wings have been made in FC Balochistan and FC KP,” he added.

Iftikar further said that trade and movement was being ensured through the Torkham, Kharlachi, Ghulam Khan, Angor Adda, Badeeni, Chaman border terminals.

“This has helped control smuggling and narcotics traffic,” he asserted.