RAWALPINDI, 7 June 2006 — Pakistan, Afghanistan and the United States reviewed the border security arrangements with special emphasis on cross-border movement by Taleban suspects. The tripartite commission that met here yesterday also discussed measures to curb the intrusion of Taleban into Pakistan’s Federally Administered Tribal Areas.
The meeting discussed the recent upsurge in Taleban attacks on army convoys and checkpoints in North and South Waziristan. Taleban suspects have stepped up attacks on Pakistan Army convoys and checkpoints in the troubled tribal region.
A number of soldiers have been killed in recent attacks in the region prompting the authorities to impose dawn-to-dusk curfew in Miranshah. Troops have also been given orders to shoot militants to pre-empt violence.
This was the 17th meeting of the tripartite commission, which was formed about three years ago. NATO and the International Security and Assistance Force attended the meeting as full members of the commission for the first time. The commission had agreed to grant them full membership in its meeting last April.
The meeting yesterday also decided to intensify efforts to counter terrorism, share intelligence and adopt joint strategy to eliminate militants in the border region. The three countries had held joint exercises in May called Inspired Gambit-6 to foster close cooperation in the ant-terror war.
An official statement issued after the meeting said the commission reviewed plans to extend the reach of the Afghan government through greater NATO-ISAF presence in southern Afghanistan.
NATO and ISAF are to assume control of international military forces operating in southern Afghanistan this summer, the statement said. Pakistani team was led at the meeting by Maj. Gen. Ahmad Shuja Pasha, director general military operations of Pakistan Army, Afghan team was led by Lt. Gen. Sher Muhammad Karimi, while Lt. Gen. Karl Eikenberry led the US team.
In another development, Pakistani and British naval ships yesterday conducted joint exercises to further enhance interoperability and coordination in counterterrorism operations, officials said.
“Two Pakistani naval ships, Badar and Tariq, and one British ship, Gloucester, participated in the exercises in the North Arabian Sea,” a Pakistan Navy official told DPA.
