ISLAMABAD: Pakistan on Wednesday announced the shutdown of border crossings with its western neighbors, Iran and Afghanistan, for one day, tomorrow, to ensure peaceful general elections amid mounting security concerns following two consecutive bomb blasts in the southwest that killed 27 people earlier today.
Pakistani security forces have launched several intelligence-based operations against militant hideouts in the Balochistan and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa provinces to prevent attacks on uniformed personnel and campaigning politicians.
Most of these incidents occurred near Iran and Afghanistan, though security was also enhanced in other areas of Pakistan ahead of the national polls.
Earlier this month, Pakistan’s election commission discussed the issue in an assessment meeting before confirming that the general elections would proceed as scheduled on Feb. 8.
“To ensure full security during the general elections to be held in Pakistan on 8 Feb 2024, border crossings with Afghanistan and Iran, would remain closed both for cargo and pedestrians,” the country’s foreign office spokesperson, Mumtaz Zahra Baloch, announced in a statement.
“Normal operations would resume on 9 Feb 2024,” she added.
Pakistani officials have previously attributed several militant attacks to the banned armed network, Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), whose leadership is believed to be based in Afghanistan.
In recent actions, the country’s military also launched missile strikes against the hideouts of Baloch separatist groups in Iran, accused of inciting violence in Balochistan.
Pakistan to close border with Iran, Afghanistan to ensure peaceful elections amid militant attacks
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Pakistan to close border with Iran, Afghanistan to ensure peaceful elections amid militant attacks
- The country’s foreign office says the border closure on Feb. 8 will affect both cargo and pedestrians
- Pakistan plans to resume normal border operations a day after securing peaceful general elections
Sri Lanka seal gritty T20 win over Pakistan to level series
- In a contest trimmed to 12 overs a side, Sri Lanka scored 160 runs before choking Pakistan to 146-8
- The series saw the visitors clinch the opener by six wickets before rain washed out the second game
Dambulla: Sri Lanka eked out a hard fought 14-run victory over Pakistan in the third T20 at rain-hit Dambulla on Sunday, easing their batting jitters and squaring the three-match series 1-1.
The series, a warm-up for the T20 World Cup with Pakistan set to play all their matches in Sri Lanka due to political tensions with nuclear-armed neighbors India, saw the visitors clinch the opener by six wickets before rain washed out the second game.
“We were a bit worried about our batting and I’m glad we addressed that today,” said Wanindu Hasaranga, who walked away with both Player of the Match and Player of the Series honors.
“The bowlers did a good job too. The ball was wet and it wasn’t easy. We tried to bowl wide and slow and asked them to take risks.”
Hasaranga took four wickets in the game and in the process completed 150 wickets in T20Is.
In a contest trimmed to 12 overs a side, Sri Lanka muscled their way to a competitive 160 before choking Pakistan to 146-8.
Having been bowled out inside 20 overs in the series opener, Sri Lanka needed a statement with the bat and duly ticked every box after being put in.
The top order laid the platform and the middle order applied the finishing touches.
Wicket-keeper Kusal Mendis made hay under the Power Play, blasting 30 off 16 balls while Dhananjaya de Silva (22 off 15) and Charith Asalanka (21 off 13) kept the scoreboard ticking.
Skipper Dasun Shanaka then swung the momentum decisively, clubbing 34 off just nine deliveries, peppered with five towering sixes.
The sixth-wicket stand between Shanaka and Janith Liyanage produced 52 runs in just 15 balls and proved the turning point, shifting the game firmly Sri Lanka’s way.
Pakistan came out swinging in reply, racing to 50 in just 19 balls with captain Salman Agha hammering 45 off 12 balls, including five fours and three sixes.
But once the field spread, Sri Lanka tightened the screws, applied the choke and forced the asking rate to spiral.
“It was a good game of cricket,” Agha said.
“We conceded too many runs, but our batting effort was good. Unfortunately, we fell short. We know we are going to play all our World Cup games in Sri Lanka and it’s important that we played in similar conditions,” he added.
