US general in Waziristan: COAS urges bilateral border security steps with Kabul

Gen Nicholson acknowledges requirement, praises Pakistan’s anti-terror campaign.

ISLAMABAD: Army chief Gen Qamar Javed Bajwa stressed the need for a bilateral border security mechanism between Pakistan and Afghanistan as he showed a top US military commander around North Waziristan in a rare visit on Monday.

General John W Nicholson, Commander Resolute Support Mission and US forces in Afghanistan, acknowledged the requirement for bilateral border security coordination as he became the first top US military official to visit a place once considered a no-go area because of the presence of local and foreign militant groups. Gen Nicholson also praised the country’s anti-terror campaign in the tribal areas.

Army chief Gen Qamar Javed Bajwa took him to Miramshah in a move that appears to suggest that Pakistan wanted to dispel any negative impression about its anti-terror fight before Donald Trump formally takes over as president of the United States later this month.

Despite major gains against terrorists through Operation Zarb-e-Azb, some in the US are still skeptical about Pakistan’s anti-terror fight. Last year, Senior US politician and chairman of Arms Services Committee Senator John McCain also visited North Waziristan and heaped praise on the Army for resorting normalcy in a region once considered lawless.

The latest visit by a US general, Pakistani officials hope, will help the new US administration to get a firsthand account of the situation on the ground in North Waziristan.

A statement released by Inter- Services Public Relations (ISPR) said the visiting US general was briefed by the general officer commanding on Operation Zarb-e- Azb and progress on the socio-economic activities including return of temporarily displaced persons.

Both the army chief and the US general were taken to Miramshah bazaar where they saw the development work being undertaken by Pakistan Army, the military’s media wing added. It said General Nicholson appreciated successful operations conducted by Pakistan Army. The visiting dignitary acknowledged the requirement of bilateral border security coordination.

On arrival at Miranshah, Lt Gen Nazir Ahmed Butt commander Peshawar Corps received the visiting generals.

Earlier, General Nicholson had a meeting with Gen Qamar at the General Headquarters in Rawalpindi. The army chief appreciated role of erstwhile International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) and presently Resolute Support Mission (RSM) Force for peace and stability in Afghanistan.

Gen Qamar acknowledged continuous support of RSM to enable Afghan National Security Forces (ANSF) for enhancing the capacity and capability to independently tackle security challenges in Afghanistan. He emphasised requirement of Pak –Afghan bilateral border security mechanism for which RSM could play important role.

The visit of the US general came just days after Gen Qamar spoke to civil and military leaders of Afghanistan on New Year’s Eve, pledging to work for peace in the region. Afghanistan’s President Ashraf Ghani invited the new Pakistani army chief to visit Kabul in a move that seems to indicate a latest push by two sides to mend ties, which have been strained for months due to widening trust deficit and differences on how to put an end to the conflict in Afghanistan.

Published in The Express Tribune, January 10^th, 2017.