Islamabad, Kabul to deploy more troops

Published September 11, 2003

QUETTA, Sept 10: Pakistan and Afghanistan have decided to deploy more troops at the border to check possible terrorist attacks and stop entry of suspect people into their respective territories.

A decision in this regard was taken at a joint meeting of the border officials of Pakistan, Afghanistan and US forces held at the checkpost of “Friendship Gate” in the border town of Chaman on Wednesday.

Commandant of Frontier Corps Colonel Abdul Basit Rana, District Nazim Qila Abdullah Salahuddin Achakzai and DCO Dr Saqib represented Pakistan in the meeting, while Deputy Commissioner of Spin Boldak Syed Fazal Agha and Abdul Razaq, in-charge of the border affairs, and senior officers of allied forces attended the meeting from the Afghan side.

“Pakistan will deploy 800 more troops along with its border with Afghanistan, while the Afghan government will reinforce its national army on its side,” a spokesman for Frontier Corps said after the meeting.

He said both sides decided to take strict security measures to ward off any terrorist activity on the occasion of September 11.

The meeting also reviewed the border situation and decided that both the countries would adopt measures to stop illegal border-crossing from their respective side and help each other in checking the activities of suspect elements.

The Pakistani authorities asked the Afghan officials to strengthen security measures at their side instead of levelling baseless charges against Islamabad.

“Instead of levelling baseless charges, Afghanistan should tighten security in its area,” Pakistani officials told the Afghan representatives at the meeting. Sources said the Afghan officials assured their Pakistani counterparts of cooperation in this regard.

Activities by the Indian secret agency RAW along the border also came under discussion and the Pakistani side made it clear that RAW officials were actively involved in suspected activities.

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