Sharif: Border Fencing Critical to National Security

DID Press: Shehbaz Sharif has defended Pakistan’s border fencing project along the frontier with Afghanistan, describing it as a central component of the country’s national security strategy.

Speaking in Pakistan’s National Assembly, Sharif said the government has invested billions of rupees in border security infrastructure, including fencing, surveillance systems, and advanced monitoring equipment along the nearly 2,000-km border with Afghanistan.

According to the Pakistani prime minister, the measures are intended to prevent unauthorized cross-border movement, counter the activities of armed groups, and strengthen border management.

Sharif stressed that border security remains a key priority for Islamabad and said the government would continue to expand security infrastructure in frontier regions.

He also argued that the fencing project contributes not only to national security but also to the regulation of legal cross-border travel and efforts to combat smuggling.

The remarks came in response to criticism from Mahmood Khan Achakzai, who questioned the government’s border policies during the parliamentary session and described the so-called Durand Line as a source of division among Pashtun communities living on both sides of the frontier.

The issue remains a sensitive topic in relations between Afghanistan and Pakistan, with differing views over border management and the status of the Durand Line continuing to shape political debate.