Durand Line fencing 94 pc completed, claims Pakistan

Kabul [Afghanistan], January 8 (ANI): Despite the Taliban's objection over border fencing, Pakistan has claimed that the fencing work alongside Durand Line has been completed by 94 per cent, Afghanistan media has reported citing Pakistani military official.
Quoting a spokesman for Pakistan's armed forces, Tolo News reported that Pakistan has termed it a good decision for the security of the people on both sides.
"The fencing alongside the (Durand Line) is continuing and work is completed 94 per cent. Pakistan will finish it. This is good for the security of the people on both sides," said Babar Iftikhar, spokesman for Pakistan's armed forces.
Earlier, Babar Iftikhar has confirmed that the fencing of the 2,600 km-long border with Afghanistan will be completed despite the Taliban's statement that they will not allow fencing by Pakistan on the Durand Line.
This is not the first time that this verbal clash has surfaced as the two neighbouring countries have been in a state of tension on the border fencing issue.
Addressing a media conference at the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) office on Wednesday, Iftikhar had said: "There is no problem, the fencing is continuing and will continue,", reported Dawn News.
However, Taliban has said that Afghanistan will not allow fencing by Pakistan on the Durand Line.
"We (Taliban) will not allow the fencing anytime, in any form. Whatever they (Pakistan) did before, they did, but we will not allow it anymore. There will be no fencing anymore," Mawllawi Sanaullah Sangin, commander of the Taliban group said on Wednesday, according to Tolo News.
Pakistan has been fencing the 2600 kilometre long border with Afghanistan since 2017 to end terrorist infiltration and smuggling. Afghanistan has strongly opposed the move.
Fencing has been a contentious issue in Pakistan-Afghanistan ties because the Afghans dispute the border demarcation done during the colonial period.
Pakistan, however, insists that the line separating the two countries, also called Durand Line, is the valid international border.
A large part of the fence has been constructed in inhospitable terrain and in some places at very high altitudes. The fencing is expected to be completed at a cost of about USD 500 million. (ANI)