Pak-Afghan armies resolve differences over border post

Pakistan army said on Monday that differences with Afghanistan over the construction of a border were resolved in a meeting of military officials of the two countries.

The Afghan Defence Minister earlier protested against what it called the ‘unilateral construction of facilities’ by neighboring Pakistan along its eastern border.

Afghan Defense Ministry Spokesman General Zahir Azimi told reporters at a joint press conference in Kabul that the recent construction of a gate and other facilities along the border took place without any coordination with Afghanistan.

Pakistan army said that a high level Afghan military delegation met with Pakistani officers in Rawalpindi and all ongoing Cross Border Coordination issues including Border Post construction in Mohmand Agency were ‘discussed and amicably resolved’.

A military statement said that both sides agreed on continuation of such bilateral interactions to enhance bilateral border coordination and reduce space for detractors.

A delegation of Afghan army officials, headed by Director General Military Operations (DGMO) Afghan National Army Major General Afzal Aman, met Major General Ashfaq Nadeem Ahmed, Director General Military Operations Pakistan Army for talks over Border coordination with Pakistani officers.

Pakistan had earlier rejected Afghan government’s claim that Pakistani military had started unilateral construction and was engaged in physical reinforcement activities along the bordering areas.

Pakistan had also stated their forces were renovating an old border post and had also informed Afghan authorities.

In Kabul President Hamid Karzai ordered the country’s Defense and Interior Ministries to take immediate action to remove a newly constructed gate, checkpoints and other installations recently built by Pakistan along the border in Goshta district in the eastern province of Nangarhar with Jalalabad as its capital, 120 km south of Kabul.

Azimi said Afghanistan will use all options to prevent such issue as he said according to agreements between two countries before constructing any facilities closer to border areas the two sides must inform each other.

Meanwhile, spokesman with the NATO-led coalition or International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) Brigadier General Gunter Katz at the same press conference said that the “ISAF continues to monitor the situation on the (Afghan-Pakistani) border and we remain on dialogue with the Afghan and Pakistani site on the constructive way.”

Tensions heightened between Pakistan and Afghanistan over the last month’s cross-border shelling.

Islamabad says that Pakistani Taliban have regrouped in Afghanistan’s border regions after they fled to the neighbouring country.

Kabul says Pakistani forces fire rockets into Afghanistan’s Kunar province, that cuase casulties and displacement.

Short URL: https://www.newspakistan.pk/?p=39909

Posted by Tahir Khan on Apr 15 2013. Filed under Latest News, National, Pakistan. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0. You can skip to the end and leave a response. Pinging is currently not allowed.