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Closing Torkham, and Spin Boldak crossing points would not stop movements of the militants, rather increase tension between the two countries: Khattak
AT Monitoring Desk-KABUL: Pakistani government closed Torkham and Spin Boldak crossings for an indefinite period on Friday, following a deadly blast at the shrine of Lal Shahbaz Qalandar in Sindh province of Pakistan.
The latest terrorist attack on Lal Shahbaz Qalandar Sufi Shrine in Sindh, claimed lives of over 80 civilians and wounded more than 200 others. The Islamic State (IS) has claimed responsibility of the attack.
Politicians and civil society members on both sides of the Durand Line have strongly condemned the closure of Torkham and Spin Boldak crossings and termed it an erroneous attempt made by Islamabad.
Afrasiab Khattak, a senior member of the Awami National Party (ANP), told Pajhwok Afghan News that the closure of crossing points would further increase tension between the two countries.
He said there were hundreds of crossing points between Afghanistan and Pakistan, adding closing of Torkham would not stop terrorist movement but would definitely raise tension between the two neighbors.
The former Pakistani senator said, “Islamabad failed to implement the National Action Plane (ANP), a strategy formulated by all Pakistani political parties and military after the Army Public School carnage to chase the terrorist. “The closure is aimed at diverting public attention from the security failure and pro-terrorism policies of Pakistan.”
Blaming Afghanistan for the recent terrorist attacks in Punjab and Sindh provinces of Pakistan is part of blame game, in which Islamabad is attempting to mislead the international community.
Afghanistan is badly affected by Pakistani-backed militancy, where safe hideouts and other breeding nurseries of Taliban and other militant outfits are at-large in Pakistan soil.
Some officials in Afghanistan termed such terrorist attacks as an insider work by Pakistani officials to mislead the International Community and show them that the country is also burning in flame of insurgency.
To counter terrorism, Pakistani politicians and military were jointly formulated a strategy of National Action Plan (NAP), but Islamabad is badly failed to implement it against the various terrorist groups including the Haqqani network that freely roaming on its soil. Actually, Pakistan’s double game in war against terrorism has been exposed, internationally.
Kabul’s government has continuously emphasized on Islamabad to shun the breeding nurseries and launching pads of terrorists against Afghanistan. At international level, US Gen. John Nicholson had pointed out toward pro terrorism policy of Pakistan and safe heavens of terrorists on its soil.
General Nicholson, the commander of international forces in the country, while testifying before a US Armed Services Committee hearing on Afghanistan last week, called for a holistic review of Washington’s relations with Islamabad to pressure the country to end militant sanctuaries on Pakistani soil.
Closing of crossing points is not a wise solution and could further deteriorate relations between the two states. Result-oriented actions against all the terrorist groups on Pakistani soil could not only benefits Pakistan but also very crucial for the stability of the regional countries.
