On the end of the deadline, the Pakistani officials at the Torkhan border denied entry of all Afghan nationals into Pakistan not holding valid visas or Rahadari cards and not a single Afghan national was not allowed entry into Pakistan.
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The border security forces on both sides are now expected to be able to identify people with fake documents. Officials of the Afghan government had confirmed that the consulate will remain closed for an indefinite time, Pakistan daily Dawn reported.
People without valid travel documents will not be allowed to cross into Pakistan anymore. Those who try to enter Pakistan illegally would be detained and prosecuted, the announcement said.
Afghanistan has shut its consulate in Peshawar in protest over “harassment”, after the consul general’s vehicle was checked at a security checkpost in the Cantt area of the city.
Sources said that Pakistan foreign office had received an official request from Afghanistan to extend the deadline again. “We want a concrete assurance from the host country that Afghan diplomats will not be harassed in the future”, a source in the consulate told Pajhwok Afghan News.
Earlier, authorities had held a flag meeting with the border authorities of Afghanistan on 30th April for strict compliance of the border management policy.
“We do not see the wisdom of such a restriction at a time what we really need more is to build bridges and improve our relations, not creating further irritants, grievances and distances”, Afghan Ambassador Dr Omar Zakhilwal told The Express Tribune on Wednesday. The announcements also noted that border guards and immigration staff would thoroughly check the travel documents and Rahdari passes of every Afghan national crossing over to Pakistan, and those without legal documents would not be allowed to cross the border.
Pakistan had closed the border crossing after Afghan authorities, who do not recognise the Durand Line as an global border, reacted to an attempt to fence the crossing for “controlling unauthorised cross-border movements”.
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The issue of passport should not be taken seriously.
