The three main stakeholders in the war on terror held a tripartite meeting at the Border Coordination Centre (BCC) in Torkham on Wednesday, after a break of more than two months. The tripartite meeting, held between the representatives of Pakistani Army, US-led International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) and Afghan National Army (ANA), signals a thaw in relations between Pakistan and the United States. Border activities had been halted in the wake of a NATO attack on a checkpost of Pakistani security forces at Salala, Mohmand Agency, on November 26 last year. At least 24 soldiers were killed in the attack and in response Pakistan had not only stopped supplies to NATO troops going through its territory but also called back its representatives from two coordination centres.
The tripartite meeting was held after recent reports that US authorities were willing to apologise for the NATO attack. The Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) confirmed the reports in a communiqué and said: “The meeting is part of tripartite engagement to discuss and improve various coordination measures on Pak-Afghan border.” Though it is yet to be determined who represented the US and Afghanistan at the moot, ISPR confirmed that Pakistan was represented by Director General Military Operations (DGMO) Maj General Ashfaq Nadeem in the meeting. Officials in Torkham told Pakistan Today that the meeting was held across the border at Sheeraz Fort.
Details of the decisions taken in the meeting could not be ascertained, but officials believe the agenda was focused on multi-dimensional proposals and suggestions aimed at “cementing coordination amongst the stakeholders to ensure a swift victory in the war on terror”.
It seems that after the US apologises, the government is likely to ease sanctions and restrictions against the NATO troops camping across the border in Afghanistan.
A security official, who asked not to be named, said the meeting was held to improve the coordination between the three forces fighting terrorism on both sides of the Afghan border. He said the meeting of senior military officials from Pakistan, ISAF and ANA was reflective of a thaw in Pakistan-US relations and it showed that Islamabad and Washington were getting back to what was highly important business, such as border coordination. “The complete restoration of Pakistan-US relations, however, depends on the outcome of the ongoing parliamentary review of Islamabad’s relations with Washington,” he added.
