Daily Times

PESHAWAR: The first border management system being implemented between Pakistan and Afghanistan at the Torkham became functional here on Wednesday, after which the border security forces on both sides would be able to identify people with fake documents.

An official at Torkham border further said that people without valid travel documents won’t be allowed to cross into Pakistan anymore. According to estimates, around 10,000 to 15,000 people cross into Pakistan from Torkham border daily.

Security agencies were of the view that number of terrorists or suspects also cross through this area into Pakistan. Pakistan and Afghanistan were working jointly to implement a comprehensive border management system to contain insurgents’ cross border movement.

The Torkham border was closed on May 10 for four days after Afghan forces blocked a Pakistani authorities’ move to fence their side of the border, even though the hedge was 30 meters inside Pakistani territory. Security guards at the Torkham border on Tuesday made announcements on loudspeakers warning Afghan nationals against travelling to Pakistan without valid documents.

Local sources said that the announcements were repeatedly made throughout the day in order to apprise the visiting Afghans at the border that the last date for allowing Afghans without legal documents had expired and no one would be given any relaxation from June 1 onwards. The local administration on its part had pasted pamphlets at prominent places near the border with similar caution.

The announcements made on loudspeakers said that border guards and immigration staff would thoroughly check travel documents and Rahdari passes of every Afghan national crossing over to Pakistan and those without legal documents would not be allowed to cross the border.