Senior Pakistan, Afghan defence officials hold security talks

A detailed briefing was given on border coordination mechanism.

ISLAMABAD: The Pakistan Army raised the issue of “terrorist sanctuaries” in eastern Kunar and Nuristan provinces in Afghanistan and attacks on Pakistani border villages and posts from those sanctuaries with top Afghan defence and intelligence officials on Thursday, the military said in a press release. 

Senior Pakistani and Afghan military officials met in Rawalpindi to discuss important security issues with a special focus on the border management and cooperation in the current major military operation in North Waziristan.

“The issue of cross-border shelling also came under discussion. The Afghan delegation was told that Pakistan only fires back in self defence when Pakistani border posts are physically attacked or fired upon by terrorists from Afghan territory and no indiscriminate firing is carried out,” the military statement said.

Both sides agreed to build further trust, continue to talk under all circumstances and evolve a robust and effective bilateral border coordination mechanism. The two sides also agreed to meet again, for which a schedule is yet to be finalised.

The Afghan military delegation was led by Director General Military Operations (DGMO) Afghan National Army Major General Afzal Aman, with representatives from the Afghan National Security Council (NSC), Afghan military intelligence and Afghan border police.

The Pakistani side was headed by DGMO Pakistan Army Major General Aamer Riaz, who gave a detailed briefing on the border coordination mechanism.

There was no word from the Afghan side about the meeting, which is seen as crucial at a time when Islamabad is anxious to seek Afghan cooperation to boost security on the border to stop fleeing militants from crossing the border.

Kabul alleges that rockets and artillery are fired into the eastern Kunar province from Pakistani territory, while Islamabad insists the Pakistani Taliban have regrouped in the Afghan border regions and routinely launch attacks on Pakistani border posts and villages from the other side of the border.

Islamabad says Pakistani Taliban chief Mullah Fazlullah is issuing instructions to his fighters in Pakistan from the Afghan side of the border.

Afghan officials also claim that the Afghan Taliban is settled in Pakistan, from where they plan attacks in Afghanistan.

President Karzai has publically stated that the Afghan Taliban’s reclusive leader Mullah Omar lives in Quetta — a claim denied by Pakistan.

Pakistani and Afghan sources say that following talks, senior defence officials of the two countries will travel to Kunar to review the border security situation and address to “each others’ concerns.”

Last week, both countries agreed to establish a joint working group on security, aimed at focusing on strengthening their bilateral security cooperation.

Thursday’s talks are being held in line with the formation of the joint working group, which is co-chaired by the Pakistan foreign secretary and the Afghan deputy foreign minister and comprises representatives of relevant security institutions.