Pakistan and Afghanistan decided on Monday to take effective measures to remove irritants in bilateral relations, while decrying what they described as efforts by a “common enemy” to create bad blood between the neighbouring states in order to further its own interests in the region.
The neighbours have also decided to establish a hotline between the military commanders on both sides of the border to avert border skirmishes in future, as the cross-border militants attacks into Pakistani continue and Afghan authorities also remain vocal in expressing their concerns over firing of rockets into Afghan territory by Pakistani troops in retaliation to terrorist assaults.
Afghan Ambassador Mohammad Umer Daudzai held an important meeting here with Foreign Secretary Salman Bashir on Monday. A Foreign Office statement issued after the meeting said that the two sides expressed the resolve to improve ties and also condemned the militants’ activities in the border region.
However, officials privy to the talks said that both sides were not only concerned about the upsurge in terrorist attacks but were also worried about the failure of US-led NATO forces to stop cross-border attacks by Taliban militants into Pakistan.
“It was an understanding at the meeting that apart from the terrorists, some other forces are also playing their role to bring harm to Pak-Afghan ties as improvement in their relations is against their interests in the region,” said an official here requesting anonymity. However, he refused to name those “forces”, saying Islamabad and Kabul considered them a common enemy.
He said Islamabad and Kabul decided at the meeting to have talks on the vital issue with Washington and also expressed their related concerns to the Obama administration.
NATO RESPONSIBLE FOR BORDER SECURITY: The Karzai government feels that it is the responsibility of NATO troops to stop attacks inside Pakistan from Afghanistan as they are mainly responsible for border security, not the Afghan army.
Pakistan and Afghanistan have been engaged in intense diplomacy of late to iron out differences over ways to tackle the Taliban insurgency in Afghanistan, with the latter requesting the former to use its “good offices” to influence the Taliban into initiating a meaningful peace dialogue with the Karzai administration.
In their talks, Foreign Secretary Bashir and Ambassador Daudzai condemned the loss of life and destruction of property by militants on both sides of the border and stressed effective measures to curb their activities, according to the Foreign Office spokeswoman, who said in a statement that an “in-depth meeting” reviewed the situation following the militants’ attacks in the Dir, Bajaur, Mohmand and Kunar regions.
“Both sides expressed their concern over the activities of the militants,” the spokeswoman said. “Pakistan condemns the loss of lives and destruction of property on both sides by the militants. We consider Afghanistan’s loss our own loss,” she said.
“It is imperative that efforts be redoubled by both sides to attain the objectives of shared peace and security and to enhance cooperation for shared development and prosperity,” she added.
The foreign secretary conveyed to Ambassador Daudzai the importance that Pakistan attached to establishing peace and tranquility in the border region and the importance of effectively curbing the activities of miscreants.
PAKISTAN DESIRES CLOSEST RELATIONS: During the meeting, Bashir pointed that as affirmed by President Asif Ali Zardari and Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gilani, “Pakistan desires closest relations with Afghanistan”.
“We believe that both countries are faced with common challenges relating to militancy and terrorism, which require deep and close cooperation,” he told the Afghan diplomat according to the spokeswoman. “The two sides resolved that they would foil the designs of those who are against improvement of ties between Islamabad and Kabul and also want to destabilise the region,” an Afghan diplomat told Pakistan Today.
ROCKET ATTACKS: He said the Afghan ambassador expressed concern over the recent rocket attacks from the Pakistani side into Kunar and Nangarhar provinces and he was told that some rockets could have fallen there as Pakistani troops tried to repulse attacks on their posts at the border.
“Ambassador Daudzai assured the foreign secretary that Afghan border troops would take all possible measures to prevent the militants’ cross-border attacks into Pakistan,” the Afghan diplomat said.
The attacks by the militants on both sides of the Afghanistan-Pakistan border, in recent days, have been a matter of deep concern for both governments and peoples, leading to contacts at the highest levels of the Pakistani military, Afghan military and the International Security Assistance Force (ISAF).
All the sides, while agreeing to devise an appropriate strategy to curb the activities of the militants, will be holding another meeting between the military authorities concerned to enhance information-sharing and coordination between Pakistan, Afghanistan, NATO and ISAF.
The foreign secretary and the Afghan ambassador expressed satisfaction with the recent meetings in Kabul. The foreign secretary expressed gratitude to the Afghan Ministry of Foreign Affairs for the excellent arrangements made for the talks in Kabul.