Border fencing to harm NWA accord: JI
Bureau Report

PESHAWAR—Former senior Minister and Amir Jamaat-e-Islami NWFP, condemning the fencing and mining of Pak-Afghan border has said that it is an attempt of the United States to sabotage the peace agreement struck in North Waziristan between the government and the local tribesmen.
He said that fencing and mining of border would widen the gulf between the government and the tribesmen. He expressed these views at a press conference at Peshawar press club on Wednesday. He said that fencing of the 24-kilometer long border between the two neighbouring countries was not in the interest of tribesmen, NWFP and the entire nation and it would have drastic consequences.
Sirajul Haq said that the border was porous at seven hundred points and erecting fence along it was a conspiracy to divide the Pashtun tribes as Mehsud, Wazir, Aurkazai, Shinwari, Afridi, Mohmand, Safi, Salarzai and Mishwani tribes had been residing on either side of the border.
“These tribes have common culture and values and the fence will widen gap between them,” he added. He said that such decisions taken without political consensus yield no positive results. He said that America wanted to pit Pakistan and Afghanistan against each other. He said that the world powers wanted to separate South and Central Asia.
Siraj said that on one hand Pakistan had been engaged in improving ties with Hindus while on the other, creating gulf between the Muslims. He said that Karzai and Musharraf were both arms of Bush and the US wanted to tip the two neighboring countries.
Jamaat-e-Islami (JI) Wednesday opposing the decision of fencing and mining Pak-Afghan border at selective places, demeaned of the government to revoke the decision, which it feared may further deteriorate relations between the two neighboring Muslim countries.
Addressing a press conference at Peshawar Press Club the provincial Amir of Jamaat-e-Islami (JI) Sirajul Haq said that fencing and mining the Pak-Afghan border was not in the best interests of Pakistan, NWFP and tribesmen.
The tribesmen and people of NWFP would not let anyone to divide the Pushtoons living on both sides of the Durand Line. “People residing on both sides of the border have one religion, culture and brotherhood since centuries.
They would not let the government of Pakistan to fence the 2400-kilometer border and lay landmines, which have 700 routs,” Haq said and added that the JI has announced its movement against the government’s decision.
“The government’s this move will not only bring bade consequences but also will accomplish the goals of its enemies India and United States,” he said adding that both India and USA were trying to create a war like situation between Pakistan and Afghanistan.
Siraj said that the cross-border movement couldn’t stop with fence and lay of landmines. The issue, he said, could only resolve through peaceful dialogue and Jirgas were the best option available to both the countries to remove their grievances immediately.
The JI Amir said only innocent people across the border would killed due to government’s this act. “Even the British rulers could not dare to mine the Pak-Afghan border then how a Pakistani government could do so,” Siraj questioned the government’s decision.