ISLAMABAD, 24 August 2005 — Officials from Afghanistan and the United States arrived here yesterday to review ongoing military cooperation across the Pakistan-Afghan border against supporters of the Al-Qaeda terrorist network and the Taleban extremists.
The 12th meeting of the Tripartite Commission composed of Pakistan, Afghanistan and the US is to be held today in the garrison town of Rawalpindi.
In addition to Pakistani officials, the commission will be attended by US Commander of Combined Forces in Afghanistan Gen. Karl Eikenbery, and Chief of General Staff of the Afghanistan National Army Gen. Bismullah Khan.
The meeting is being held amid renewed allegations by some Afghan officials that Taleban fighters are using Pakistan as a base for terrorist activities in Afghanistan ahead of the Sept. 18 parliamentary elections.
Pakistan has deployed over 70,000 troops to guard its porous border with Afghanistan, and has vowed to deploy addition troops to ensure the Afghan elections.
The Tripartite Commission, formed two years ago after skirmishes between Pakistani and Afghan border forces, has helped cool tensions arising out from Pakistan-Afghan border disputes.
Christians Object to Dress Code for Sanitary Workers in Pakistan
Pakistani Christian leaders yesterday objected to a new dress code for their community members working as sanitary workers in Islamabad’s municipal department.
The department, Capital Development Authority (CDA), has made a yellow “parachute jacket” mandatory for some 1,800 sanitary workers, most of whom are minority Christians. “The yellow color is a symbol of hatred and not even suitable for our climate,” said J. Salik, former federal minister. He described the CDA’s decision as discrimination against his community.
