The senior military officials of Pakistan, Afghanistan and the International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) will meet here on Saturday for a regional security summit.
According to sources in the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), the meeting was scheduled earlier this week and the arrangements in this connection had been finalised.
“It is in continuation of the series of regular meetings held under the tripartite commission framework. The talks will focus on enhancing efficiency of border coordination measures along the Pak-Afghan border and to improve multilateral mechanisms at operational and tactical levels,” sources said.
Earlier in a statement, the ISPR had said that the ISAF delegation would be led by ISAF Commander General John Allen, while Afghan National Army chief General Sher Muhammad Karimi will head the Afghan delegation. Chief of Army Staff Ashfaq Pervez Kayani will represent the Pakistani side.
This would be the first meeting to be held under the Tripartite Commission framework among the military officials of ISAF, Pakistan and Afghanistan after approval of the guidelines by the Pakistani parliament for future relationship with the United Sates and NATO.
The recommendations by Pakistan’s parliament urged an end to US drone attacks in the country’s tribal regions, along with an unconditional apology for last November’s NATO air strikes that killed 24 Pakistani soldiers at two border posts. Apparently, the US is reluctant to stop the drone strikes and to tender apology.
The ISAF/NATO attacks caused deterioration in the ties between Pakistan and the US. The issue of assessing ties with the US and ISAF/NATO was handed over to the parliament.
Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gilani had told the parliament that his government would implement the guidelines in “letter and spirit”.
The US officials claim that the CIA-controlled drone strikes target al Qaeda and Taliban militants in the tribal regions, but tribesmen insist that civilians are killed in the strikes.
