Border Tensions Continue between Afghanistan and Pakistan
Murad Makhmudov and Sawako Utsumi
Modern Tokyo Times
Border tensions between Afghanistan and Pakistan continue to hinder ties between both nations.
This sometimes flares up in Pakistan launching airstrikes in border areas – or by the constant terrorist attacks by the Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) and the Hafiz Gul Bahadur Group.
Many Pakistan soldiers have been killed in North Waziristan – along with civilians caught in the crossfire. In the latest attack, the armed forces of Pakistan recently killed 12 TTP terrorists.
Voice of America reports, “Insurgent attacks targeting security forces and government functionaries occur nearly daily in several districts of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, including the Waziristan region. The violence has killed hundreds of people in recent months, with TTP claiming responsibility for most of the attacks.”
Pakistan accuses the Taliban of allowing TTP sanctuaries in Afghanistan. In response, the Taliban denies this.
Shafqat Khan (Pakistan Foreign Ministry spokesperson) said, “We have been emphasizing to Kabul authorities to address the question of sanctuaries on the Afghan territory.”
Last year, the Foreign Ministry of Pakistan said, “We have repeatedly urged the Afghan authorities to take concrete and effective action to ensure that the Afghan soil is not used as a staging ground for terrorism against Pakistan. We have also called on them to deny safe havens to TTP and to hand over its leadership to Pakistan.”
The United Nations said: “TTP continues to operate at a significant scale in Afghanistan and to conduct terrorist operations into Pakistan from there, often utilizing Afghans.”
Lee Jay Walker (Modern Tokyo Times analyst) says, “It is incumbent on Afghanistan and Pakistan to solve complex issues. Afghanistan seeks foreign capital to exploit its natural resources – and Pakistan needs political stability. Therefore, border escalations, terrorism, and mistrust are not in the interest of Afghanistan and Pakistan.”
It is hoped that Afghanistan and Pakistan can solve the crisis because terrorism and instability serve neither nation.
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