ISLAMABAD, June 21 (Xinhua) -- Pakistan army said that the whole border with Afghanistan will be fenced to curb the cross-border movement of militants.
Pakistan and Afghanistan, which have nearly 2,600 km common border, mostly porous, routinely blame each other for failure to stop the movement of militants for attacks.
The military said on Tuesday that phased fencing of the entire Pak-Afghan border has commenced in high infiltration prone border areas in Bajaur, Mohmand and Khyber tribal agencies.
Armed groups had also been active in the tribal regions for years but now the security forces have cleared almost all areas of the militants and established writ of local authorities.
A statement from the army's Inter-Services Public Relations said that fencing of remaining border areas including southwestern Balochistan will be carried out.
Besides fencing, Pakistan Army and Frontier Corps, the paramilitary forces responsible for border security, are constructing new forts and border posts to improve surveillance and defensibility in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province.
"A secure Pak-Afghan border is in common interest of both countries and a well-coordinated border security mechanism is essential for enduring peace and stability," the statement said.
