Pak-Afghan border: Only two points to be opened: Rashid

ISLAMABAD: Federal Minister for Interior Shaikh Rashid Ahmed said on Sunday that the government has decided to open only two points at Pak-Afghan border, Chaman and Torkham, adding that only vaccinated people would be allowed to cross the border.

Talking to media, the Minister added that the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) has been deployed at Torkham border and those people who were tested positive would be quarantined in their positive areas.

The Minister spoke at length about peace in Afghanistan and stated that nether planned Chinese $400 billion investment in Iran is possible without peace in Afghanistan nor Pakistan desire to take train to Uzbekistan. Pakistan wanted that all the stakeholders of Afghanistan should sit together to bring about peace in Afghanistan that was in war from half a century after 1979, he said adding that different kind of Taliban have taken birth in Afghanistan that are well versed with the techniques of negotiation and not only Pakistan but the entire region need to negotiate with them.

Shaikh Rashid Ahmed said that Pakistan wanted to give a message to the international community that for peace in Afghanistan, Pakistan was, and is with them but would not let anyone use its airbase for action in Afghanistan. This is the final decision of the prime minister as well as the nation, he added.

Interior Minister said that Indian, which was organizing terrorism in Pakistan from Afghanistan during the last 40 years, has now other option but to leave Afghanistan. He said that the India also used global media against Pakistan.

The Minister said that no super power of the world can ignore Pakistan because of its geo strategic location. He said that opposition and all parties are with the Pakistan Army after briefing on national security. The entire nation is with the armed forces for security of the country, he added.

About upcoming Kashmir election, he said that Maryam Nawaz used very irresponsible language during AJK election rally and has rigging allegations even before the election simply because Pakistan Muslim League (N) and other parties of the opposition know, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaaf is going to win the AJK election. The Minister said that the opposition was fighting Kashmir case only on television and time would come when Prime Minister Imran Khan would fight Kashmir case in the world.

The Minister said that after Punjab, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, GB, and Balochistan, he was confident that PTI would form the government in Kashmir as well. He said that the bank accounts of opposition are across the world and even US was aware of them.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2021