Analysts stress need for proper border management

As the military operation Zarb-e-Azb against the militants in North Waziristan entered its fourth day on Wednesday, analysts stressed the need for proper border management as well as active co-operation of the Afghan government and International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) to prevent the terrorists' escape across the border.
After Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif's recent request to Afghan President Hamid Karzai to help stop the militants escape the military operation by sealing the border on the Afghan side, Afghan Ambassador to Pakistan Janan Mosazai Wednesday called on Army Chief General Raheel Sharif at the General Headquarters to discuss the situation.
According to ISPR, the ongoing operation in North Waziristan Agency and the matters of mutual interest including measures to improve security along Pakistan - Afghan border were discussed during the meeting. The top US military commander in Afghanistan Joseph Dunford recently said that the US has increased its surveillance over the Afghan-Pakistani border since Pakistan began pounding the militant strongholds with air strikes.
Rahimullah Yousufzai, a well informed analyst, held out little hope that Afghanistan and United States would help Pakistan especially at the withdrawal stage with no active presence of ISAF and Nato troops on the border.
"One cannot give any guarantee that the militants will not succeed in fleeing the military operation, as it is impossible to seal all the routes in order to check the militants escape," Yousafzai pointed out, adding that he was not hopeful that Karzai would cooperate with Pakistan at this stage. Pakistan shares 2,640 kilometres long porous border with neighbouring Afghanistan, which has often become a source of tension between the two countries due to frequent militants' infiltration - Pakistan accusing the banned TTP terrorists for sheltering on Afghan soil and Afghanistan blaming Haqqni Network militants for using Pakistan's soil for their attacks.
"Both Pakistan and Afghanistan need to improve the border management for the success of the military operation, as victory over the terrorists will not only help Pakistan but it will also benefit Afghanistan," said General Lieutenant Talat Masood (Retd), a defence analyst. He said if the terrorists succeeded in fleeing the military operation it would have serious repercussions for both the countries and may led to worsening bilateral relations between the two.
Maulana Fazluallah, the current TTP chief and his aide Molvi Faqeer Mohammad fled the 2009 Swat operation and took refuge in Kunar and Noristan provinces of Afghanistan which also led to blame game between the two countries. According to Talat Masood, both the countries need to ensure effective co-ordination as far as the issue of terrorism is concerned as the two nations have greatly suffered due to the common challenge. He said that the co-ordination between the two countries will not only stop the cross border infiltration but it would also boost trust between the two countries.