The Frontier Corps says fences and cameras have been installed to curb infiltration along the Afghan border
Frontier Corps security personnel guard the newly inaugurated Badini Trade Terminal Gateway in Balochistan. PHOTO: AFP
KHYBER PAKHTUNKHWA:
The deteriorating situation in the Tirah Valley has highlighted deep-rooted governance failures, with security officials pointing to the absence of basic services, weak administration and limited law enforcement as key challenges in the remote region of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.
Frontier Corps officials said the vacuum created by poor governance has been exploited by extremist and criminal groups, including Fitna-al-Khawarij, which they accused of promoting instability and financing activities through drug trafficking and extortion.
Inspector General of Frontier Corps Khyber Pakhtunkhwa North said the province shares a 1,224-kilometer border with Afghanistan, of which about 717 kilometers fall under the FC’s responsibility. He said the terrain includes snow-capped and rugged mountains, high peaks and narrow passes, making border management a complex task.
The IG said that cameras have been installed at various points to discourage infiltration, adding that the border can be closed completely only if it is respected from both sides. He noted that fencing between Pakistan and Afghanistan has been completed for the first time, making it what can now be termed an international border and creating a barrier against uncontrolled movement and infiltration.
Citing security challenges, the IG said that last year in Bagh Maidan, 64 FC personnel were martyred and 198 were injured, adding that no other institution had suffered such a high number of casualties in the area. He said there are places like Duatoi where a narrow passage exists but effective control cannot be carried out due to lack of legal authority.
He further pointed out that only three police officers are currently deployed to monitor the entire local population, underscoring the severe lack of law enforcement resources.
Wing Commander Colonel Waqas said the absence of civil administration was striking, noting that in a stretch of up to 60 kilometers in the Tirah Valley, there is no district administration, police presence or hospital. He said there are no government schools in the area and no designated teachers, which has deprived children of education.
“When children do not go to school and are denied education, awareness is not developed and they are pushed towards illegal activities,” he said.
Col Waqas said the FC runs 16 schools in the valley and has recruited teachers on its own to provide basic education. He added that there is no hospital in the area and residents often approach the FC even for basic medical needs such as injections. The FC, he said, also organizes free medical camps for the local people.
He described drug trafficking as a major problem in the Tirah Valley, alleging Fitna-al-Khawarij’s involvement. He said funds generated through narcotics and extortion are used against security forces and civilians.
Officials warned that continued mismanagement and failure of local government structures is allowing militant and criminal elements to further entrench themselves in the region, exacerbating both security and humanitarian challenges for the local population.
