May 17, 2003	Saturday	Rabi-ul-Awwal 14, 1424

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ISLAMABAD, May 16: The United States will provide Pakistan $50 million in shape of equipment for border security, an official of the interior ministry said on Friday.

An agreement, he said, would be signed between Pakistan and Iran over joint patrolling of the border between the two countries.

Pakistan, he said, would soon receive Cessna planes and helicopters under the USAID for improving the border security.

Neighbouring countries, he said, had expressed their concern over the issue of human smuggling through Pakistan’s territory.

Pakistan, he said, would set up telecommunications link with neighbouring countries, specially between Quetta and Zahidan in Iran, to ensure better border security besides curbing the incidence of human trafficking.

Referring to poppy cultivation, he said that the government was taking strict action against poppy cultivators in Balochistan and tribal areas to eradicate drug trafficking.

The official said Pakistan had also conveyed its concern to neighbouring countries regarding human trafficking and smuggling of various items.

He said that an Iranian delegation, which had recently visited Pakistan, had dispelled the impression regarding the country’s involvement in smuggling petroleum products.

Referring to the idea of joint patrolling of border areas, he said that law enforcement authorities of Iran and Pakistan would soon sign an agreement in this regard.

He said that federal secretary interior Tasneem Noorani had recently visited the United States to discuss issues related with the border security.

The United States, he said would, provide a grant of $50 million to Pakistan in the shape of equipment for curbing smuggling at its borders, cash and technical assistance.

He said the ministry of interior would also purchase three Cessna planes to keep better border vigilance. He said the country had already acquired five helicopters under the US grant.

Talking about technical assistance to be provided by the United States, he said a team of eight to 10 US experts would arrive here to train personnel of the local law enforce-ment agencies, specially on border security.

He said that Mr Noorani had paid a two-day-long visit to the country’s western borders in the North West Frontier Province on May 14 to 15 to inspect the security arrangements made by the law enforcement agencies, another official of the ministry said.

The secretary, he said, had visited the border areas, including Wana, Angoor Adda, Razmak, Miran Shah and Ghutan Khan Killi.

Mr Noorani, the official said, had been briefed by local commanders about the security situation in the border areas.

The secretary interior had expressed satisfaction over the security situation over there besides lauding the security forces and troops guarding Western frontiers.