Pakistan elections: Authorities shut 2 border crossings with neighbouring Afghanistan

Islamabad, July 24: Pakistani authorities have announced the decision to shut down the country's border with neighbouring Afghanistan at Chaman and Kharlachi crossing points on Tuesday, July 24, and Wednesday, July 25, owing to the general elections, Daily Pakistan reported.

"The crossing points on Pakistan-Afghanistan border at Chaman and Kharlachi will remain closed on July 24-25 2018, coinciding with general election in Pakistan," Foreign Office Spokesman Muhammad Faisal was quoted as saying by the report.

The Torkham crossing will, however, remain open, Faisal said.

Pakistan's Inter-Services Public Relations Director General Major General Asif Ghafoor said during a briefing on the election-time security arrangements that Afghanistan has assured Pakistan of support from its side on the security part. He said Pakistan had taken "extraordinary measures" on its side with the border with his western neighbour when the latter went to elections recently and it was time for Kabul to reciprocate.

The run-up to the elections has seen a number of rallies falling prey to terrorist strikes, leading to deaths of several people, even including a few candidates. It is all the more for this reason that the authorities have decided to shut the border with Afghanistan so that the disruptive elements do not enter at will and disrupt the electoral process.

Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf of former cricketer Imran Khan is likely to win this election after its main opponent - the Pakistan Muslim League -Nawaz - suffered a serious setback by means of imprisonment of former prime minister Nawaz Sharif in connection to a corruption case besides a heavy defection.