KABUL – *Pakistani military has built new facilities close to TorkhamCrossing – along the Durand Line, the border between Afghanistan andPakistan.*
Afghan Residents claim that Pakistani forces have continued fencing theborder areas and that sometimes they enter areas that have Afghan securityoutposts.
Border force members and local residents said the area they were in wasonly three kilometers from Torkham Crossing but that they had no schools,no health facilities and no water resources.
The area is home to 5,000 residents who escaped Daesh in Abdulkhail villagein Achin district and moved to the area.
These villagers have said that no government institution has helped them oris paying attention to their plight.
“We buy drinking water for 10 AFs for each bottle from the municipality,but we bring water for other uses from the river and other places,” saidAli Jan, a resident of Ghoraki district in Nangarhar.
“If the situation prevails and if the two countries (Afghanistan andPakistan) do not help us, then they should let us take care of ourselvesand pick up our own arms and ensure our own security,” said Afsar Khan, aresident of Ghoraki village.
Meanwhile, security force members stationed in the mountainous area arefaced with many challenges when it comes to supplies.
A Border Police Force member, Dadgul, says they have to carry all theirsupplies on foot or with the help of donkeys or horses as there are nousable roads to their outpost.
“We have to fetch our supplies by using animals because vehicles cannot getthrough on this road. It takes three hours to climb the mountain (to thebase) and it takes two hours to come back,” Dadgul said.
“Shamshad Mountain is a strategic place. This place was not operationallast year when our forces fought Pakistanis (forces). After that, adelegation from the Ministry of Defense came and assessed the area and itwas decided to make a landing pad for helicopters in order to supply heavyarms, but nothing was done,” said Khalilurrahman Shinwari, a tribal elder.