Pakistan-Afghanistan border closed

The border was closed to avert any unwanted incident on the eve of the Afghan polls.

This file photo shows Pakistani border guards at the country's border with Afghanistan in Chaman, Pakistan. The two countries closed the border on Friday on the eve of the Presidential elections in Afghanistan.

The Pakistan—Afghanistan border was closed on Friday ahead of the Presidential and provincial council elections in Afghanistan, an official said.

An official of the Frontier Corps (FC) told Dawn online that the border at Friendship Gate in Chaman was completely closed by the border forces of the two countries.

“The border will remain closed on Saturday,” he said.

The border was closed to avert any unwanted incident on the eve of the Afghan polls, he added.

Paramilitary troops have been deployed on the Pakistani side to maintain peace and order before the “historic” Afghan elections start on Saturday.

The Afghan border force has also tightened security.

“There are long queues of vehicles on both sides of the border,” the official stated, adding that people on both sides were facing problems as a result of the closure of the border.