ISLAMABAD: Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) Director-General Major-General Babar Iftikhar addressed an important press briefing on the Afghanistan issue on Friday and said that “something can happen” at the Pakistan-Afghanistan border but “we are ready” for all sorts of situations.
SITUATION AT PAKISTAN-AFGHANISTAN BORDER ‘NORMAL’: Speaking about the situation along the Pakistan-Afghanistan border from a military perspective, he said that the situation on the ground in Afghanistan changed rapidly – against all expectations.
Apprehensions were always there but despite all that, the situation along the border is “normal” and “under control” as there have been no major incidents, he said.
“We have taken every possible step to maintain security at the border and every movement is under control there. But this does not mean that nothing can happen, something can happen, but we are prepared; it is not that we will be unaware of that,” the military’s spokesperson said.
There are 78 crossing points at the border and considering the situation, 17 of them have been notified for better management and control of movement.
“Movement from across the border is allowed only to those who are in possession of valid documents,” he said, adding that only five crossing points are currently open for trade while 73 have been closed for security reasons.
‘PAKISTAN SECOND-BIGGEST TARGET OF VIOLENCE’: The DG ISPR said that other than Afghans, Pakistanis have been the biggest target of violence because of the volatile situation in Afghanistan for the last several decades.
“Pakistan had to bear an expense of $152 billion to fight against terrorism,” adding that the country sacrificed more than 80,000 lives in the process.
Regarding the future, he added that Pakistan “trusts that the Taliban will take effective measures to ensure TTP does not operate against any country.”
INDIA’S ROLE IN AFGHANISTAN ‘EXTREMELY NEGATIVE’: The DG ISPR went on to say that India’s role in Afghanistan had been “extremely negative” and the international community needs to understand it.
“India poisoned the minds of the Afghan leadership, its intelligence agencies, as well as the army, thus giving rise to negative statements against Pakistan,” he said.
The military’s spokesman said that India’s Research and Analysis Wing (RAW), together with Afghanistan’s National Directorate of Security (NDS) had extended help to terrorist organisations like Daesh and the TTP, among others, to conspire against Pakistan.
‘NO CIVIL WAR IN AFGHANISTAN’: Replying to another question, he said that while there was “always a fear of a civil war” taking place in Afghanistan, the situation is volatile and nothing can be said about it as of now.
“However, right now, there is no civil war in Afghanistan,” he said.
He said that Pakistan is “hoping for the best” in terms of normalisation of the situation in Afghanistan but would not like to “speculate anything”.
