October 2, 2003	Thursday	Sha’aban 5, 1424

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QUETTA, Oct 1: Pakistani and Afghan border authorities at a flag meeting held at the Friendship Gate in Chaman on Wednesday decided to adopt more effective measures to check illegal crossing from both sides and increase surveillance in the area.

The government released two Afghan army officers, Mohammad Abbas and Bismillah Khan, as a goodwill gesture after the meeting. They had been arrested last month when they crossed into the country illegally.

The Afghan delegation comprised a French army officer, Col Omar, border affairs commander Abdul Raziq and Spin Buldak Deputy Commissioner Syed Fazal Din Agha.

Pishin Scouts Commandant Col Abdul Basit Rana, Chaman District Coordination Officer Dr Saqib Aziz and District Nazim Salahuddin Achakzai attended the meeting.

The teams reviewed the situation in the area, including the campaign against encroachment by the security forces along the border.

“We have informed the Afghan authorities and United States officials about the demolition of encroachments to effectively check illegal border crossing,” a border security forces spokesman told newsmen in Chaman after the meeting.

“The step has been taken to make impossible the entry of ‘persona-non- grata’ from Afghanistan into Pakistan,” the officials informed the Afghan authorities.

They said that after clearing the area, the security forces could keep a vigilant eye on the border for stopping the entry of such people.

The spokesman said the government had asked the Afghan officials to demolish all encroachment along the border on their side so that there should be no hurdle in the traffic flow through the gate.

They were asked to take strict measures for stopping illegal entry of Afghans into Pakistan.

“The steps would help in improving the situation on both sides of the border,” the meeting observed.

The Afghan authorities were informed that the border security forces and other agencies were strictly checking the people on the border and nobody was being allowed entry without legal permit or national identity cards.

The officials of both the countries agreed to adopting strict measures to stop illegal border crossing.

Afghan and US military officials visited the border and inspected the site where encroachments had been demolished.