Journalists not allowed entry at Torkham border
PESHAWAR- The unrealistic policies of the part of the Government regarding Pak-Afghan border affairs have resulted in severe problems to foreigners and Afghan nationals. These policies have added to the problems of local traders who are regularly travelling between the two countries.
It is yet not clear as to who is responsible for the routine affairs of Pak-Afghan border as beside the political administration and uniformed soldiers and officers of the Frontier Corps, a large number personnel from various secret agencies are also deployed at the border.
An Islamabad based journalists Saturday despite possessing a valid visa for Afghanistan was stopped at Torkham and sent back into Peshawar.
The officers and officials from different agencies and functionaries told him that when the border is closed it means that it is closed for every one, therefore, on such grounds, he was not permitted to enter Pakistan.
Later he rushed back from Torkham to Peshawar where he approached the responsible officers from NWFP Home and Tribal Affairs Department.
He was surprised to know that there were no restrictions on the Pakistani nationals holding valid travelling documents for Afghanistan.
At Torkham, uncertainty prevails as neither Assistant Political Agent nor his Tehsildar are aware of their powers. Even they are helpless before the common low paid employees of various civil and armed forces secret agencies who try to implement their own rules and regulations on the border.
Helplessness of both Assistant Political Agent and Tehsildar Torkham could be judged of the fact that he allowed a local private TV crew to go for shooting but the crew was prevented by personnel of the secret agencies.
But the APA and Tehsildar were answerless when they were approached again.
Source: The Nation
Date:9/23/2001
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