The Afghanistan–Pakistan barrier is an under-construction border barrier being built by Pakistan, that is designed to prevent smuggling, illegal immigration and infiltration across the border porous international border between Afghanistan and Pakistan. Major General Shaukat Sultan, former Pakistani military spokesman, said the move was necessary to block the infiltration of militants across the border. The proposed fence was initially backed by the United States. As of January 2019, have been completed. The Durand Line is marked by 235 crossing points, many of which had been susceptible to illegal immigration. More importantly, it is designed to impede the Pakistani Taliban and Afghan Taliban from freely crossing the border and launching attacks against both governments. While the two Taliban organizations claim to be separate, Afghan Taliban leaders have been found in Pakistani refugee camps and Pakistan Taliban leaders have been found hiding from Pakistan law enforcement in Afghanistan. The project is predicted to cost at least $532 million.
Fencing
In September 2005, Pakistan stated it had plans to build a fence along its border with Afghanistan to prevent insurgents and drug smugglers slipping between the two countries. Former Pakistani President Pervez Musharraf had subsequently offered to mine the border as well. The plans to fence and mine the border were again considered in 2007 and then in 2009, but they were not fully implemented. However, a portion along selected border areas was fenced and the work was discontinued for lack of funds. In June 2011, Major General Athar Abbas, the then spokesman for the army, said: "We did fence around 35km of the border area as it faced continuous militant incursions. It was a joint project of ISAF and Afghanistan. But then they backed out. It was a very costly project." During the Musharraf period, a biometric system was installed by Pakistan on border crossings. Afghanistan had objected to the system. The bio-metric system remains intact at the border, although it is yet to be made fully functional.
Afghan opposition
The Pakistani plans for mining and fencing the border were renewed on 26 December 2006, but these plans were opposed by the Afghan government, citing that the fencing would result in "the limitation of the freedom of movement of Pashtun tribes people". Due to the Afghan opposition to the border fencing, the Angor Adda and Sheken areas saw a border skirmish in April 2007. On 1 April 2013, the Afghan Foreign Ministry formally protested and raised 'grave concerns' over what it called "the Pakistani military's unilateral construction and physical reinforcement activities along the border in the eastern Ningarhar province". Afghanistan does not recognize the Durand Line itself as a legitimate border between it and Pakistan, as it divides the Pashtun ethnic homeland in two. Afghanistan contends that the installation of a physical barrier would make this border permanent.
Construction progress
In June 2016, after three years of construction, Pakistan completed a trench along the Afghan border in Balochistan province to ensure proper border-management. The excavation was carried out by the Pakistani Frontier Corps. The purpose of the trench is to tighten border security by countering the flow of militants, smugglers, illegal movement and narcotics. Three Balochistan construction companies were contracted to supply manpower and arrangements. The and ditch will be extended along the whole border.
