Pakistan will beef up security along its borders with Afghanistan, Foreign Ministry said today as the war-torn country goes to presidential elections this weekend that the Taliban has threatened to disrupt.
"Pakistan will beef up security along the border during the elections," Foreign Office spokesperson Tasnim Aslam said.
"Beefing up security means there will be more vigilance. At this stage I can't say what measures would be taken, but we would like to make sure that there are no unauthorised crossings," she said.
The elections, the first round of which would begin on Saturday, will be Afghanistan's first-ever democratic transfer of power, as Hamid Karzai steps down after serving the maximum two terms in office.
The polls are crucial for Afghanistan and is said to have a far-reaching impact on regional security.
It comes as US-led international forces prepare for a drawdown by this year end.
Pakistan is keen to have a strategic depth in Afghanistan even though it officially denies any involvement in internal affairs of the country.
Aslam said Pakistan was looking forward to a stronger Afghanistan after the elections.
"We congratulate the people and government of Afghanistan on this milestone," she said.
"This is a historic moment for the people of Afghanistan in their democratic journey. We hope the Afghan nation will emerge stronger and more unified as a result of the forthcoming elections," she said.
Aslam expressed hope that Afghans would be able to overcome security challenges to vote. "We also hope that despite the threats by extremists groups, voters will cast their votes in record numbers."
The Taliban has vowed to disrupt the polls as deadly violence has surged in the run-up to the election.
Afghanistan has accused Pakistan of supporting frequent terror attacks by Taliban, a charge vehemently denied by Islamabad.
