Contamination and Impact

The Islamic Republic of Pakistan remains affected by mines and other ordnance from the Soviet occupation of Afghanistan (1979–89) and three wars with India, but more recent and continuing conflicts in areas bordering Afghanistan have added further contamination.

Pakistan asserts that it “faces no problem of uncleared mines.” In supporting this statement, it acknowledges that the army laid mines on its eastern border with India during an escalation of tensions in 2001–02 but says those mines were all cleared and the army has not laid any more since then.[1] However, it has also reported IED attacks “including” antipersonnel mines and antivehicle mines.[2]

Mine Action Program

Pakistan has no formal civilian mine action program. Pakistani military engineering units are believed to be responsible for mine clearance in contaminated conflict zones while the Frontier Constabulary has said it conducts mine clearance in contaminated areas of Balochistan, Federally Administered Tribal Areas (FATA), and other conflict zones in the North-West Frontier Province (NWFP).[3]