In Afghanistan, which is controlled by the Islamic militant group, the Taliban, locals are flocking to the Pakistani border as the 'airway escape' through the international airport in the capital Kabul is blocked.



The border with Pakistan is geographically close to Kabul in the east and Kandahar, Afghanistan's second city in the southeast.



It is estimated that about 3 million Afghan refugees have displaced in Pakistan over the past few decades (the official UN estimate is 1.45 million).



According to foreign media such as the New York Times (NYT) and Pakistani media such as DAWN on the 28th, Afghans who are trying to escape the tyranny of the Taliban have recently flocked to the Pakistani border checkpoint.



The main checkpoints Pakistan has installed on the Afghan border include Torkam in the north and Chaman in the southwest.



After the Taliban took control of Kabul on the 15th, the Torkam checkpoint and other checkpoints were closed.



The Afghans are heading to Chaman via the southeastern city of Spin Voldak.



Citing officials from Pakistani authorities and local village heads, the New York Times reported that 4,000 to 8,000 people passed through the checkpoint a day normally, but this number tripled after the Taliban took over Kabul.



“I had no choice but to leave the country because of uncertainty and unemployment,” said Ali, who traveled with his family from Parwan province, north of Kabul, and passed a car-only checkpoint.



Pakistani authorities are extremely resistant to the influx of Afghan refugees.



Prime Minister Imran Khan said at the end of last month, "Pakistan has already accepted 3 million Afghan refugees.



An official from the authorities said, "Currently, we are only accepting Pakistani citizens, Afghans who need treatment or can prove their refugee-related rights."



The border between the two countries has been known to have been virtually invisible for decades.



The Pashtuns, who are scattered across Afghanistan and Pakistan, have crossed the border as if going to and from their own homes.



The number of Pashtuns living in Afghanistan and Pakistan is estimated at 15 million and 43 million, respectively.



The Pashtuns in particular are also the power base of the Taliban.



The Pashtuns living in Pakistan have consistently supported the 'students' trained in madrassah (Islamic schools) as Taliban fighters.



Many Taliban fighters in Afghanistan are said to have fought with their families in Pakistan.



To prevent this situation, Pakistan is installing iron fences on the borders of the two countries, and this work is now over 90% completed.



This double fence is 4m high and has a circular barbed wire fence and a surveillance camera installed.



It is a structure that is virtually impossible for civilians to pass through.



Major General Babar Iftikar, who heads the Pakistani military's public relations agency ISPR, said in a press conference the day before that Pakistan's political and military leaders had anticipated a situation such as the Taliban's takeover of Afghanistan. .



"The situation at the border is normal and under control," he added.



Meanwhile, the United States is adhering to the deadline for withdrawal of Afghan troops on the 31st of this month and is conducting an evacuation operation for its citizens and Afghan partners.



As a result, once the U.S. forces are withdrawn completely, there is a high possibility that Afghans' airport escape routes will be virtually blocked from next month.



(Photo = Getty Images Korea)