Taliban pressuring Pakistan to give up visa for Afghans
Javed Rana
Press TV, Islamabad
This is Spin boldak, a key Afghan border crossing in southwest of Pakistan. Now the Taliban have shut it down demanding Pakistan a visa free movement of Afghans. The complete closure of the border has suspended transportation of edible items and movements of thousands of people from both sides.
The Taliban recaptured most of border crossings with neighboring countries of Afghanistan in an attempt to lay down a besiege President Ashraf Ghani’s beleaguered government in capital Kabul.
Islamabad has completely 90 percent wired fence of nearly 2700 kilometer porous border with Afghanistan to contain movement of terrorists sneaking into Pakistan to carry out attacks.
And if visa restriction is removed, Islamabad fears of more infiltration of terrorists into Pakistan and therefore, the government here is unlikely to concede to the Taliban’s demand of a visa free movements of Afghans.
The Taliban claim to have recaptured 85 percent Afghan territory controlling over 260 districts, most of which after the withdrawal of US led NATO forces. The clashes between the Taliban fighters and Afghan national army have made thousands of families homeless and many of them were caught in the crossfire particularly in southern parts of Afghanistan.
The UN has warned of an unfolding humanitarian crises in Afghanistan. Ongoing talks between the Taliban and President Ashraf Ghani’s government have so far failed to take-off. Both sides remain glued to their respective demands which has heightened the fear of Taliban overtaking rest of Afghanistan in near future.
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