Islamabad: Pakistan plans to fence and mine parts of its border with Afghanistan following attacks by militants who cross over from the neighbouring country, a media report said Thursday.
Militants from Afghanistan have carried out raids in Bajaur, Upper Dir and Mohmand tribal regions.
Sources told the daily Dawn that though a plan was earlier formulated, it was put on hold due to opposition from Kabul.
It has been revived now after a series of incursions. Militants have crossed into Pakistan over four times in less than a month and battled the country`s border forces.
"The insurgency from across the border is growing and we have already taken up the matter with Afghan officials but there appears to be no end to the incursions. A plan to fence the border is being discussed...," an official was quoted as saying.
The media report said that the fencing and mining would be carried out in areas that are of strategic military importance.
Pakistan had fenced parts of its 2,500-km border with Afghanistan after 9/11.
Army spokesperson Maj Gen Athar Abbas told the daily: "We did fence around 35 km of the border area as it faced continuous militant incursions. It was a joint project of ISAF (International Security Assistance Force) and Afghanistan. But then they backed out. It was a very costly project."
IANS
