Anti-terror cooperation: Afghan security officials due today for crucial talks
A delegation of senior Afghan military and intelligence officials will be arriving in Islamabad today (Thursday) to hold crucial talks with their Pakistani counterparts on anti-terrorism cooperation.
Director General Military Operations (DGMO) of the Afghan National Army Maj-Gen Afzal Aman will lead the six-member delegation which will meet senior Pakistani defence officials, sources told The Express Tribune.
The meeting is a follow-up to the recent visit of Afghan National Security Adviser Dr Rangin Dadfar Spanta during which the two sides agreed to eliminate terrorists without any discrimination on their respective soils.
The two countries’ officials will also travel to Kunar province to “review the border security situation and address each other’s concerns”, a source added.
A Foreign Office official termed the visit of Afghan security officials a positive development and an important confidence-building measure to remove mistrust between the two neighbors. The official, who asked to remain anonymous, said it was Pakistan’s initiative to invite security officials from Afghanistan to address their long-standing concerns.
He said Pakistan had made it abundantly clear to Afghan authorities that the current administration in Islamabad wanted to increase cooperation with Kabul.
Afghan authorities are skeptical of Pakistan’s role and have often accused its military establishment of harbouring certain Afghan insurgent groups to further their interests in the country.
The official dismissed this perception and insisted that Pakistan’s civil and military leadership has now publicly stated that there will be no discrimination when it comes to fighting terrorism. He also insisted that Pakistan neither had any favourites in Afghanistan nor was it following the so-called strategic depth policy.
“We might have committed mistakes in the past but it is time to move on and look towards the future,” the official said while referring to apparent shift in Pakistan’s policy on drawing a distinction between good and bad Taliban.
When asked, the official said that despite Pakistan’s repeated requests there was no positive response from Afghan authorities on eliminating Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) sanctuaries in Kunar and Nuristan provinces yet.
“We have been telling our friends in Kabul not to rely on terrorists. Mullah Fazlullah may be serving your short-term interests today but tomorrow he can turn the gun against you,” the official cautioned. “History has shown to us that terrorists can never be your well wishers.”
Speaking about the reconciliation process, the official said Pakistan’s role was only that of a facilitator, as “we are strictly following the policy of non-interference in the internal matters of other countries.”
Responding to demands by the Karzai administration regarding the release of remaining Afghan Taliban prisoners, the official said Pakistan had already freed senior Taliban commanders who could possibly play a role in peace talks.
About Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar, the former deputy of Afghan Taliban chief Mullah Omar, the Foreign Office official said the senior Taliban commander was free but he was not willing to travel to Afghanistan.
Operation Zarb-e-Azb
Helicopter gunships shelled militant hideouts on Wednesday, killing 10 insurgents, officials said.
The helicopters pounded militant compounds in the Khar Warsak area, 12 kilometres north of Miramshah, the main town in North Waziristan Agency. “The helicopters destroyed three militant compounds and killed 10 insurgents during the shelling,” a local security official told AFP.
A local intelligence official confirmed the attack and militant casualties.
The army also said security forces destroyed three more improvised explosive device-making factories in North Waziristan on Wednesday. The statement by Inter-Services Public Relations added that a large quantity of explosives, anti-tank mines, a suicide bomber training center, a media facility and rocket caches were also discovered from the area.
Defence Minister Khawja Asif, meanwhile, told reporters that the government would pursue terrorists in ‘every nook and corner’ of the country. He said the fight against terrorism would continue till the elimination of last terrorist.
The defence minister also insisted that there were no differences between the civil and military leadership about the Operation Zarb-e-Azb. “The civil and military leadership is on the same page,” he said.
Published in The Express Tribune, July 3rd, 2014.
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