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Pakistan, Afghanistan to put biometrics at border this month

IRNA - Islamic Republic News Agency

Islamabad, Nov 3, IRNA -- Pakistan and Afghanistan have agreed to launch bio-metric system at their border later this month to check illegal cross-border movements.

Both countries have more than 2,000 kilometers common border, which is porous and officials say suspected militants use remote areas for illegal entry.

Pakistan Interior Minister Rehman Malik and his Afghan counterpart Bismillah Muhammadi met in Istanbul on the sidelines of a key conference on Afghanistan and agreed on the arrangement.

The two ministers decided to work jointly to control illegal border crossings and to eliminate terrorism.

“Pakistan desires peace and stability in Afghanistan which is linked to progress and prosperity in the region,” said a statement issued by his office in Islamabad on Wednesday.

Islamabad had been urging Kabul to establish the system on its side of the border to check the illegal movement of Afghans across borders and to document people entering and exiting the two countries.

Pakistan also wants to erect barbed wire along the border but Afghanistan opposed the idea with the plea that it will divide tribes living in the border regions in both countries.

Afghanistan has not yet recognized the border, known as Durand Line, but Pakistan insists the chapter is closed.

Pakistani Interior Minister also met Turkish counterpart Idrees Naeem Shaheen and both decided to constitute a joint task force to check trafficking of Pakistanis to Turkey.

The task force would look into matters relating to deportation of illegal immigrants and inform Pakistani authorities about the human traffickers, so that legal action could be taken against them.

Turkey also agreed to provide modern training to Pakistan’s police and other agencies on checking human smuggling. At Malik’s invitation, the Turkish interior minister would visit Pakistan soon.
Islamic Republic News Agency/IRNA NewsCode: 30645822