Pakistan’s Prime Minister Shahbaz Sharif has defended the construction of fencing and the expansion of security infrastructure along the country’s border with Afghanistan, telling the National Assembly on Saturday that the spending is necessary to protect citizens’ lives.
He described the measures as part of a broader national security strategy, saying that strengthening the “Durand Line” is essential to curb threats and reduce illegal cross-border movement.
Sharif said differing views on the issue are respected, but emphasized that the government has a responsibility to ensure national security. He added that if the measures save even one life, particularly that of a child, the costs would be justified.
The remarks came in response to comments made by opposition leader Mahmood Khan Achakzai during a National Assembly session. Achakzai said the Durand Line divides Pashtun communities on both sides of the border and carries social and human consequences.
The prime minister also pointed to billions of rupees spent on fencing, surveillance cameras, and other monitoring infrastructure along the nearly 2,000-kilometre border with Afghanistan, saying the measures are designed to reduce illegal crossings and address security threats.
Pakistan and Afghanistan share a long and often contested border known as the Durand Line, where Islamabad has in recent years accelerated fencing and surveillance work to strengthen border control and regulate movement. The issue remains politically sensitive, with Afghanistan historically not recognizing the border in the same way as Pakistan.
Border management has at times been complicated by closures and heightened tensions between the two countries, particularly during security incidents and disagreements over cross-border movement. The frontier has also witnessed periodic skirmishes involving border forces, alongside concerns in Islamabad about militant infiltration and in Kabul about restrictions on civilian movement and trade.
