Pak-Iran joint commission discusses border security

Pakistani officials raised the issue of violation of Pakistan’s territory by Iranian border guards.

QUETTA: A Pakistan-Iran joint border commission session was held in Quetta on Wednesday with the subject of missing Iranian border guards at the top of the agenda.

The Iranian delegation, comprising 13 officials including Deputy Governor of Sistan-Baluchestan province of Iran Ali Asghar Mir Shikari, visited Pakistan to discuss border issues including the kidnapping of their border guards.

The Pakistan side was led by Chief Secretary Balochistan Babar Yaqoob Fateh Muhammad along with Home Secretary Balochistan Asad Gilani and IG Police Mushtaq Sukhera.

While Pakistani officials refrained from publicly commenting on the kidnapped guards, some sources said that the entire focus of the meeting was the kidnapping. They added that Iranian officials had issued a firm warning and urged Pakistani authorities to play their role in freeing the Iranian border guards.

On Tuesday, the Pakistan foreign office had said that security forces had scoured the country side along the border with Iran but had not found any evidence of the kidnapped border guards, suggesting they may still be inside Iranian territory. The meeting comes two days after Iranian authorities warned of breaching Pakistani territory to track down their missing guards.

Pakistani officials also raised the issue of violation of Pakistan’s territory with the Iranian delegation.

Both delegations agreed that they should improve their border relations.

Responding to a question about the Iranian security guards, Gilani said Iranian authorities has already taken up the issue of the missing Iranian border guards with the Federal government which is why he was not authorised to talk about the issue.

On February 5, militant group Jaish-al-Adal had claimed responsibility for kidnapping five Iranian guards inside Iranian territory.

Pakistan shares more than 900 kilometres of border with Iran.