KARACHI: The fencing of certain areas along the 950km shared Pakistan-Iran border is now underway, according to Pakistani senator Rehman Malik, Chairman of the senate’s interior committee.
The border which begins at the Koh-i-Malik Salih mountain and ends at Gwadar Bay in the Gulf of Oman, includes a diverse landscape of mountain ridges, seasonal streams and rivers, and is notorious for human trafficking and smuggling as well as cross-border militancy. On Friday, the senate was informed by Moazzam Jah Ansarithat, commandant of Frontier Constabulary Balochistan, a paramilitary force in the southwestern province, that Iran was resisting the fencing.
“There are difficulties in fencing but the entire border will be fenced ultimately,” Malik told Arab News on Sunday, and said fencing the entire stretch would take three to four years to complete.
A senior security official told Arab News on condition of anonymity, that the border areas have been categorized for fencing according to different priority levels, numbered priority one, two and three by order of importance and security threat.
“The work on areas in priority-one list is currently underway in full swing,” he said and added that the aim of the fencing was to stop illicit cross-border movements.
“We have selected the areas from where terrorists may cross the border from one to another country,” he said.
Relations between Pakistan and Iran have been strained in recent months and in April, Iranian President Hassan Rouhani announced that the two countries would form a joint quick reaction force to combat militant activity on their shared border, following a deadly attack on Pakistani security personnel on the coastal highway in southwestern Balochistan, where fourteen soldiers lost their lives.
After the incident, Pakistan lodged a strong protest with Iranian authorities, saying the attackers had crossed over from Iran, and Pakistan’s foreign minister had said Pakistan would fence the shared border with Iran to ensure peace.
Earlier in February, Pakistan Army spokesperson General Asif Gafoor said Pakistan and Iran were considering fencing the common border so that “no third party could sabotage relations” between the two countries.
Pakistan has been battling an armed ethnic Baloch separatist movement for more than a decade, with armed groups carrying out frequent attacks against security forces and government targets in the Balochistan province, amid frequent accusations of safe havens for insurgents in Iran.
Pakistan begins fencing 950km shared border with Iran
Pakistan begins fencing 950km shared border with Iran
- Senate informed that Iran is resisting the border fencing
- Fencing of areas is prioritized by different security threat levels, officials say
PCB sets Feb. 11 as date for player auction for Pakistan Super League 11th edition
- The squad composition would be a minimum of 16 players and a maximum of 20
- The number of foreign players would be five to seven depending on the squad size
ISLAMABAD: The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) on Sunday announced that the player auction for the 11th edition of the Pakistan Super League (PSL) will be held on Feb. 11, setting the stage for franchises to begin assembling squads for the country’s premier Twenty20 tournament.
The development came after a workshop regarding PSL player auction at the Qaddafi Stadium, which was presided over by PCB Chairman Mohsin Naqvi and PSL CEO Salman Naseer.
The workshop was attended by PSL officials, all eight franchise representatives, members of Pakistan’s T20 World Cup squad, PCB officials and other capped players.
“The HBL PSL management shared a detailed presentation on the mechanics of the retention and the auction process and consulted with all the participants,” the PCB said.
“It was agreed that the HBL PSL player auction will take place on Wednesday, 11 February.”
The squad composition would be a minimum of 16 players and maximum of 20 players per franchise. The number of foreign players would be five to seven depending on the squad size, according to the PCB.
It would be mandatory for the franchises to play minimum of three and maximum of four foreign players in the playing XI. The teams are also required to have minimum of two uncapped Under 23 players in the squad and one in the playing XI.
Players either retained or picked in the auction will be engaged for two-year contracts with their respective franchise teams, the board said, adding that franchise teams will be able to retain a maximum of seven players for the 12th edition of the tournament.
“I’m delighted that a consultative and productive session was held between the franchises, players and management today resulting in informed and strategic decisions which will pave the way for bright future for the HBL PSL,” Naqvi said.
“The Player Auction model is a landmark step for the HBL PSL, offering players better financial opportunities through an increased salary purse and a transparent acquisition process, while making the league more competitive and attractive.”
PSL CEO Naseer said the player auction system modernizes player recruitment by promoting fairness, transparency, and market-driven value, strengthening the PSL’s appeal for both players and franchises.
“Today’s workshop saw all views being taken into consideration and this rich feedback will be reflected in our execution of a successful player auction scheduled next month,” he said.
PSL has become a key pillar of the country’s cricket economy, providing financial stability to the PCB and serving as a talent pipeline for the national team. The 11th edition of the league is set to begin from Mar. 26 while the final is expected to be played on May 3, as per the PCB’s schedule.
