Google Maps called in to resolve Afghan-Pakistan border dispute

Whenever tension escalates between Kabul and Islamabad the issue of Durand Line surfaces, so this time Pakistan and Afghanistan have called Google Maps to resolve the border dispute.

This past Friday Pakistan closed “Bab-e-Dosti” Afghan-Pakistan border after a deadly attack by Afghan forces on census staff and security personnel escorting them. This attack by Afghan forces across the border was a violation of Internal border laws, which left 12 dead and 40 injured.

Pakistan has a 2,400-kilometer long border with Afghanistan, called Durand Line, but the neighboring country Afghanistan has never officially recognized it.

Nationalists of Afghanistan believes that their territory is, where the river of Indus ends.

“Officials from the geological survey departments of the two countries will conduct a survey, and they will also make use of Google Maps,” said a senior Pakistani security.

Tech giant Google abides by the laws of the country and makes Map of the country according to their national interest, for instance, Google Map of India shows Kashmir as the part of their country. On the other hand, Google Map of Pakistan shows Azad Kashmir as their integral part.

However, Pakistan and Afghanistan both have agreed that the Map of the border will be drawn with mutual consultation and consensus.

“Two counter-terrorism department personnel were wounded in the IED (improvise explosive device),” Peshawar police chief Mohammad Tahir said.

In the past, Google Maps was called-in by other countries to solve their problem of marking the border.