Army wants better managed Afghan border

Commanders review security situation in Afghanistan

ISLAMABAD: Days after the top US military commander in Afghanistan said that the military operation by the Pakistan Army in the tribal border areas had forced militants across the Durand Line, military commanders in Rawalpindi on Thursday discussed ways to shore up ways to plug the porous border.

The corps commanders meeting at the military’s General Headquarters in Rawalpindi on Thursday was presided over by Army Chief General Raheel Sharif, said the military’s media wing, Inter-Services Public Relations.

“External security situation was comprehensively discussed with particular emphasis on the situation in Afghanistan and border management issues on Pak-Afghan border,” the statement added.

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Commanders also undertook an in-depth review of the internal security situation and discussed other professional matters relating to the military.

The security situation has deteriorated in Afghanistan in recent weeks after the Taliban took over the strategically important Kunduz city.

Some Afghan officials have accused Pakistani security officials of involvement in the attack on Kunduz.

The allegation had prompted the army to issue a strong rebuttal and warned that such assertions only distracted attention from real problems that need to be addressed.

Pakistan has already publicly condemned the Taliban takeover of Kunduz city and termed it as an illegal step.

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Islamabad is calling for the early resumption of stalled reconciliation process in order to find a political solution to the lingering conflict in Afghanistan.

However, the intense fighting between Taliban fighters and Afghan forces has diminished the chances of any breakthrough in near future.

Published in The Express Tribune, October 9^th, 2015.