Pakistan

Pakistan, Afghanistan agree to share intelligence

Afghan officials confirm agreement which includes training for NDS agents, but deny that training will be in Pakistan

Tahir Khan May 18, 2015

Afghan President Ashraf Ghani and Pakistani Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif shake hands at the Prime Minister House in Islamabad on November 15, 2014. PHOTO: AFP

ISLAMABAD: Afghanistan and Pakistan have agreed to boost anti-terror cooperation for sharing intelligence and training Afghan officials, the two countries said on Monday.

A spokesperson for the Afghan intelligence service National Directorate of Security (NDS) Abdul Haseeb Siddiqui confirmed the development on Monday.

Siddiqui said the MoU had identified the "enemy", fundamental threats and a mechanism to share intelligence techniques.

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"The NDS will look into Pakistan's sincere cooperation on the basis of the MoU,” Siddiqui said, adding that the Inter Services Intelligence (ISI) and NDS had previously signed MoUs in 2006 and 2009 as well, but those could not prove effective due to complications in the agreements.

Director General Inter Service Public Relations (ISPR) Maj-Gen Asim Bajwa also confirmed the agreement, but avoided giving any further details.

MOU signed by ISI&NDS.Includes int sharing,complimentary and coordinated int ops on respective sides.
— Gen(R) Asim Saleem Bajwa (@AsimBajwaISPR) May 18, 2015

Afghan spies to be trained in Pakistan?

Afghan Presidential spokesperson Ajmal Ubaid Abidi clarified that the ISI-NDS agreement does not suggest Afghan intelligence officials will be sent to Pakistan for training.

"Both spy agencies will cooperate in fight against terrorism,” Abidi told the VOA Pashto service. "Afghanistan and Pakistan face same threats and the agreement is aimed at exploring ways on how to continue fight against common threats.”

Siddiqui too rejected media reports which had suggested that NDS officials will be trained in Pakistan.

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A section of the Afghan media had reported late on Sunday that ISI chief Lt Gen Rizwan Akhtar had visited Kabul this month and the MoU was signed during his visit.