The sealing of the Pak-Afghan border has ensured one thing: the presence of militants on the Pakistani side reportedly has decreased. This is an encouraging trend and hopefully will continue in the months. Security officials involved in the ongoing border fencing with Afghanistan claim that sealing the border claim that this is likely to bring lasting security. Its is estimated that more than 7000-man hours will be needed to install the border which is being done in two phases. Thousands of soldiers and hundreds of vehicles have been deployed to assist in the process, which has been planned for several decades. The news of the near completion of the border sealing comes as a relief to proponents of this idea. It is prudent to remember that mounting international pressure was also a factor in implementing the border-fencing project. The entire sealing of the border will be completed in two years while the first phase of the project is likely to be completed by the end of 2018. This will see the fencing of 432km along its most critical parts. A further stretch of 400 km is also intended for construction. The border sealing has taken place along with more than 4,000 intelligence-based operations in which 109 hard-core militants were killed and around 8,000 were arrested. While the fortification of the border is meant to seal the region; and Pakistan at large, from militant infiltration, other signs of normalcy returning to border region have also been encouraging. The Peace Cup Cricket Match in North Waziristan in September of this year and the National Jeep rally through Fata were symbolic efforts reminding everyone that the state especially the military were keen to restore stability in this troubled areas. Pakistan’s forces have been victims of cross border firing and are playing a central role in implementing the security policy. The armed forces were also involved in the completion of the census and there presence is pivotal to the prospects of peace. But their efforts will not have durable effects unless the federally administered tribal areas (FATA)are merged with KP. Reforms in FATA will enable improved administration and enhance people’s confidence in the state. At the same time, the state must ensure that it breaks alliances with violent groups that find safe havens in FATA and attack both Pakistan and Afghanistan. * Published in Daily Times, December 31st 2017.