Ahead of the Afghan presidential elections, Pakistan has decided to enhance security measures along the Afghanistan border. According to a press release issued by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs on Thursday, all passageways and cargo terminals, except for emergency patients, will be closed on September 27 and 28. Security will also be beefed up along the border area and both pedestrians and vehicles crossing the border will have to undergo strict checks from September 26-29.
It is pertinent to mention here that people of Afghanistan will head to polls on Saturday to pick their next president, even as the threat of violence and concerns over electoral fraud can lead many to stay home. The vote, the fourth since the Taliban’s removal from power by a United States-led coalition in 2001, comes as heavy fighting between the armed group and government forces has led to a spike in the number of civilians killed.
The Taliban have already threatened to target election rallies and polling stations, while in recent weeks the US-backed Afghan forces have stepped up air and ground attacks, raising fears of further casualties.