Key checkpost not handed over to Kabul, says Islamabad

Pakistan has not handed over the Angoor Adda checkpost to Afghanistan, Foreign Secretary Aizaz Chaudhry said on Monday, snubbing earlier claims made by the army. The army had earlier announced that the checkpost had been handed over to the Afghan authorities, Dawn reported.
Aizaz said Pakistan Army only constructed a gate for the Kabul government in Afghan area of the checkpost “as a gift.”
On Sunday, Sartaj Aziz, adviser to prime minister on foreign affairs, said the check post was not given to the Afghan authorities.
“It is an old checkpost which was constructed during Taliban era when the border control was not that stringent. The checkpost was on Pakistani soil while the gate was in Afghan territory, they (Afghan authorities) were protesting for years, so we handed over the gate to them,” said Aziz.
It is pertinent to note that last month Inter Services Public Relations (ISPR) chief Lt. Gen. Asim Bajwa had informed that “Pakistan Army has handed over a purpose-built border crossing facility at Angoor Ada to Afghan authorities.”
“With aim to strengthen brotherly relations with Afghanistan besides strategic intent to improve border management, the border-crossing facility was handed over to Afghan authorities at Angoor Ada, a buffering town,” Asim Bajwa had tweeted.

Source : Arab News