Pakistan opened the Badini Trade Gateway at the border crossing in Qila Saifullah, Balochistan Province, in September 2020.
by Zafar Iqbal Yousafzai 1 April 2023
Pakistan and Afghanistan share a long and porous border of over 2,400 km, which is a historical, cultural, and economic bond between the two countries. Despite the existence of a well-defined international boundary, the social, cultural, and economic interaction of the people living on both sides of the border is intense and vibrant. Over the years, the border between the two countries has remained porous, and there has been significant movement of people, goods, and ideas. The movement of people is facilitated by the existence of five crossing points (CPs) operational between the two countries, which include Chaman, Torkhum, Kharlachi, Ghulam Khan, and Angoor Ada.
Pakistan, being the more organized and stable of the two countries, has always played a pivotal role in facilitating the movement of people across the border. It has been providing a gateway to Afghanistan for the movement of goods, humanitarian assistance, and people, especially in times of war and natural disasters. However, this contribution of Pakistan has been often undermined by the negative propaganda of the Afghan and Indian media. They keep maligning Pakistan by reporting incidents of perceived mistreatment of Afghans by Pakistani authorities at Pak-Afghan border crossing points, which has made the matter one of the major reasons for resentment of Afghan masses towards Pakistan.
To dispel the false impression created by the negative propaganda, there is a need to highlight Pakistan’s all-out efforts in border management, especially with regards to facilitating cross-border movement of Afghan brethren. Pakistan’s efforts in border management are unique in the region, and no other neighboring country has such an exodus of people at their border crossings.
The quantum of movement at Pak-Afghan CPs is staggering, considering the limited resources and manpower available with Pakistan. The daily to and fro movement at Pak-Afghan CPs stands at approximately 13,000, which includes crossing of pedestrians, patients, traders, tourists, and transporters. The monthly movement at Pak-Afghan CPs stands at approximately 3, 85,000 passengers, in addition to hundreds of trade convoys. Despite such a heavy inflow of cross-border movement, Pakistan is manning over 100 counters at the crossing points to ensure smooth processing of the movement. About 79 counters are placed at Chaman and Torkham, the busiest CPs.
Pakistan has a well-defined Integrated Border Management System (IBMS) in place at main crossings, which supports One Document Regime (valid visa/ passport). However, to facilitate their Afghan brethren, Pakistan also allows a large number of Afghans, especially patients, journalists, women, and traders, to cross the border on Tazkera (non-valid) document on humanitarian grounds. Moreover, exclusive counters at crossing points have been operational for Afghan patients and women only. Afghans entering into Pakistan, either on valid or invalid documents, are allowed to extend/ renew their status to stay in Pakistan.
Pakistan has extended an exclusive offer for border crossing for Afghan brethren even without a passport to earn a livelihood, or to visit a relative, address any medical emergency or get education, which no other neighboring country offers. Pakistan also provides free medical treatment to Afghan patients at its hospitals, and Afghan students are given a 50% discount on tuition fees at Pakistani universities.
As per official data, due to insufficient documents/ no documents, about 5-6 thousand Afghan nationals are refused entry every month for obvious reasons. A few among those refused Afghans falsely create a nuisance about mistreatment by Pakistani authorities at border crossing points. However, Pakistan has a robust and transparent mechanism to handle such cases, and the authorities are fully aware of their responsibilities towards the Afghan brethren.
It is a fact that Pakistan and Afghanistan share a long and porous border, which presents significant challenges in terms of border management. However, the Pakistani government is committed to ensuring the smooth flow of legitimate cross-border movement, trade, and other activities between the two countries. Despite resource constraints, Pakistan has made significant efforts to facilitate the movement of Afghan brethren across the border, particularly those in need of medical assistance, women, and traders.
It is essential to dispel the false impressions created by some Afghan and Indian media outlets about mistreatment of Afghans by Pakistani authorities at border crossing points. These perceptions have contributed to resentment among some segments of the Afghan population towards Pakistan. Therefore, it is vital to promote a positive image of Pakistan’s efforts to facilitate the movement of Afghan brethren across the border.
Henceforth, Pakistan remains committed to facilitating legitimate cross-border movement and trade with Afghanistan. Despite the challenges, the government continues to take measures to enhance border management and ensure the safety and security of all those crossing the border.