• Improved border management needed for Pakistan and Afghanistan to establish peace and prosperity.
  

• A legislation should define easement right users and Pakistan should issue special 'easement right' user IDs.
  

• Proposed legislation should provide for legal and objective basis for resettlement of Afghan refugees.
  

• Proposed law should provide the Federal Government or the Provincial Government of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa the power to repatriate the Afghan refugees for settlement.
  

• Better coordination mechanisms between both the countries required.
  

• Border security should be the responsibility of both the States.

Islamabad, March 11:�Improved border management is�important�for the national security of Pakistan�and Afghanistan,�said experts and participants at a PILDAT�National Consultative Forum�on�Pakistan-Afghanistan Border Management: Challenges and Way Forward.�The National Consultative Forum�was organized to�understand�what are�the�mechanisms�by which the border can be�effectively regulated�and the�unauthorized�movement can be controlled.

Mr. Rustum Shah Mohmand, former Secretary of Interior and former Pakistan Ambassador to Afghanistan, Lt. General (Retd) Moinuddin Haider, former Minister of Interior and former Governor, Mr. Ahmer Bilal Soofi, former Federal Caretaker Law Minister and Mr. Ahmed Bilal Mehboob, President, PILDAT spoke at the National Consultative Forum. Also present at the occasion was Senator Mir Hasil Khan Bizenjo, President National Party.

Senator Mir Hasil Khan Bizenjo, President National Party, said that the border was never a very crucial issue before the 1980s but it became so especially when the non-state actors occupied Afghanistan after the 1980s. Its effective management has since become an issue of grave concern. He added that after 9/11, a new political situation emerged in Afghanistan. He stressed that there is a dire need to establish peace between both the countries and it is high time to put an end to internal and external conflicts. He further added that the issue of the border can not be resolved until peace is established between both the countries

Mr. Ahmer Bilal Soofi, who authored for PILDAT the paper on Pakistan-Afghanistan Border Management: A Legal Perspective, said that in order to establish an effective system of checks and balances along the Durand Line, a legislative framework should define easement right users and issue special 'easement right user IDs' to individuals falling under this category. He recommended that there should be a separate category of persons crossing the Durand Line into the territories of Pakistan as the Afghan refugees. He further said that the proposed law might provide that a refugee shall remain confined to a designated premise, his/her particulars shall be documented by issuing a document specifying his/her refugee status and his/her movements shall be monitored. The law should spell out that those conferred with refugee status should not be automatically granted Pakistani citizenship. The proposed law should also provide the Federal Government or the Provincial Government of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa the power to repatriate the Afghan refugees for settlement in relatively stable provinces of Afghanistan. The proposed legislation should also provide for the legal and objective basis of resettlement of Afghan refugees in other States such as Canada and Australia. Importantly, the suggested law must include appropriate sanctions if an Afghan refugee abuses this refugee status and indulges in drug trafficking across the Durand Line or supports militants and terrorists targeting state structures in both Pakistan and Afghanistan. He also contended that the internal laws of Pakistan need to be adhered to when dealing with refugees.

Mr. Rustam Shah Mohmand, former Secretary of Interior and former Pakistan Ambassador to Afghanistan, stated that the issue of border should be taken care of at a policy level. He highlighted the major historical events that took place regarding the border management of Afghanistan in the 19th century. He stated that there have been certain issues on the border due to the existence of divided tribes in that particular area. He added that there should be better coordination mechanisms between both the countries in order to resolve the issue in an effective and peaceful manner. He also opined that there is a dire need of improvement on the said issue and both the countries should focus on resolving it on priority basis.

Lt. General (Retd) Moinuddin Haider, former Minister of Interior and former Governor, stated that the issue of the Pakistan-Afghanistan border holds great significance and currently is very crucial between both the neighbouring countries. He said that it is the responsibility of the State to secure the border. Having said that, he opined that the government machineries of both the countries should focus on improving the situation at border in order to establish peace and prosperity in the region. He appreciated certain steps taken by both the governments to enhance the security and defence on the border.

In his welcome remarks, Mr. Ahmed Bilal Mehboob, President, PILDAT, said that the aim and objectives of the forum were to understand the crucial and sensitive issue of the border known as the Durand Line between Pakistan and Afghanistan. He said that the border management between both the countries is of utmost importance. He mentioned that there has been some unauthorized movement across the border, which is a potential threat for both the countries. He added that Pakistan and Afghanistan share very good neighbouring relationships and both the countries should look forward to maintain the same. He stressed on the need of securing the border so that peace can be established which will eventually benefit both the countries.

The forum was attended by a large number of MPs and civil society representatives alongside the�media. Prominent among MPs were Ms. Naeema Kishwer (MNA, JUI-F), Ms. Aisha Sayed (MNA,�JI), Ms. Nafeesa Khattak (MNA,�PTI), Ms. Aasia Nasir (MNA, JUI-F), Rana Muhammad Afzal Khan (MNA, PML-N), Mr. Ali Muhammad Khan (MNA, PTI), Dr. Ramesh Kumar Vankwani (MNA, PML-N), Mr. Sajid Nawaz (MNA, PTI) and Mr. Sher Akbar Khan (MNA-JI). Also present at the occasion were representatives from the Ministry of Interior, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs-Afghanistan Desk and National Defence University.

The�National Consultative Forum and the�paper by PILDAT is�part of a programme to ascertain periodically the performance of State Institutions�and Practices�in�Pakistan.PILDAT�has�undertaken�this�assessment under its programme of Democracy and Governance�Programme�for which it has received financial support from the Danish International Development Agency - DANIDA, Government of Denmark.