My arguments may not seem very sound, and I will be the first to admit that I do not have any real experience or expertise in the area. Everything is based on research, hypothesis and my personal understanding of my country, so please don't take them as anything else.
No issue, I realised that from reading what you wrote.
Lets take this slowly.
The first big issue is a combination of local population and your province and national leaders. So far this strong stand sucks big time and I am being nice here.
The border should have been fixed in 1947.
I have a long list why that should have happened and most is economic based. It would have benefited both Pakistan and Afghanistan.
Border disputes can be taken care of on the international stage. A border can be defined by the United Nations, and then that's it, fence that place. It will most probably cause tension between Pakistan and Afgahanistan, but it is a necessary evil and the UN must decide fairly.
Though a border may be define via the Security Council of the UN in most cases such disputes would end up in the International Court. Naturally that is a long process.
An outcome would be legal but the enforcement becomes a bit messy.
Also when Afghanistan was ruled by the Taliban this problem still could not be resolved so it will no doubt stay messy.
Also, your random patrol scenario assumes that there will somehow be no gaps between patrols on the border, or that the infiltrators will hold back due to fear of running into a random patrol. This, however, is not the case because for every group that encounters a patrol, there may be many that will get through the gaps.
I never suggested that the patrol would not produce gaps between patrols. To make such a thing gap proof one would have to have a line of troops running the full length. Gaps actually dont make much of a big issue as presumed.
The thing that is significant is the quantity and quality of the patrol. A walk through the country side is useless. It must be executed with intent of doing damage to the other side.
In Nam the main thrust was patrols and these were coy size, with their own local mor and Arty in DS, (direct support). MFCs/FOs went with the coy HQ. Resupply was carried out by chopper and each patrol went out for extended periods and always under the umbrella of arty.
Notice also I said long range patrols. That is they go out and came back in days or week later not out morning back that night.
I also said night work, as this is one of the times of main enemy activity.
As for running into someone, simple shoot the idiot ask questions after.
Face it no suicide bomber will be hoping about mountain passes looking for your patrols.
Simply the patrol buffer zone is defined as a blunt no go shoot on sight. Besides just patrols, ie walking about being a nuisance to the enemy, the other part is ambushes. These may be set for several days on useful tracks but in the long run become effective in convincing the enemy you are not there for a chat. An ambush is there not to deter people but kill them. You may get one or two injured enemy but that is a side benefit not the intent.
Sorry but that is the truth not the TV version.
I also mentioned the greet and meet patrols. These are critical in this as well. They must be run in sync with the other patrols. These do the social interaction with villages and provide help where possible.
BOTH must be actively executed. Yes both must be prepared to fight the enemy.
Your suicide bomber will be someone entering a village wanting to destroy your meet and greet patrols. So expect it and deal with it. Villages will also start wanting the enemy out.
Get the villages on side.
As pointed out by
A1Kaid it is not possible to fence the whole border. A fact issue. Also since the border is in dispute why aggravate that aspect of Pakistan/Afghan relations.
Also the fence would restrict flexibility as this is base on lack of defined border. Add to this is fence maintenance and security for that maintenance. Waste of time.
OK if you have a fence have a real one at main so called crossing points, villages etc. These become economic hubs which can be controlled by local law enforcement not Army or FC units.
A1Kaid:
Ok use UAVs but the tendency will be to place then as the main thrust not as a back up surveillance tool. They can monitor but the effect may be minimal and counter productive. Call them eyes in the sky. Remember the Predator is only highly effective with eyes on the ground to guide it to a kill.
Attack and tpt helios are going to be critical as well as mobile arty.
The big issue with technology is to make it the primary tool not the service tool. One heck of a mistake in this type of situation.
Nothing new in any of this it is all straight forward situational tactics.
In general I am totally stunned that this type of action has never been carried out and everything has been left to a what ever goes attitude.
So may I ask why has nothing in this vein been done??