KABUL, July 14: Pakistan on Wednesday announced a $3 million package for Afghanistan to help Kabul buy equipment, weapons and logistics besides training Afghan security forces.
Interior Minister Makhdoom Syed Faisal Saleh Hayat told reporters before leaving for Islamabad after a three-day visit to Afghanistan that he had informed Afghan authorities about the package during his talks in Kabul.
He said $1.5 million from the package had been given to the Afghan government while the remaining amount would be released after the utilisation of the given amount.
The minister made a similar announcement at a news conference on his return to Islamabad. The package, he said, was meant for training Afghan police force both in Pakistan and Afghanistan, purchase of equipment, arms and logistics to counter terrorism and establishing a comprehensive local security system in Afghanistan.
Mr Faisal said the Afghan government had been informed that drug barons, whom he called 'narco lords', were funding terrorists in Wana and other areas of Pakistan and Afghanistan.
He said the Afghan government fully agreed with Pakistan that besides Taliban and Al Qaeda, drug barons were also promoting terrorism in both countries as they were the main source of funding for terrorists.
Mr Hayat said a majority of drug lords had their bases in Afghanistan and now it was the responsibility of the Afghan government to take action against them. "Although it is very difficult for the Karzai government to crush these drug barons, ultimately it has to be done by the Afghan government," he said.
"We have sufficient evidence to prove that these drug lords are supporting terrorists in Wana," he said. These drug barons, he said, were also creating problems for the Karzai government in the registration process of voters currently under way in Afghanistan for the presidential elections due to be held in October.
"All Afghan refugees in Pakistan would be registered in a joint exercise of the Pakistan government and the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR). "Besides this, we have offered the Afghan government allout help both in Pakistan and Afghanistan in the registration process," the minister said.
In reply to a question about trade between the two countries, he said Pakistan was the biggest trading partner of Afghanistan due to its geographical status. "The volume of registered trade between Pakistan and Afghanistan last fiscal year was around $700 million while non-registered trade has crossed the figure of $1billion," he said.
The minister stressed the need for early completion of the Peshawar-Jalalabad highway said its early completion would increase the trade between the two countries. The highway is being constructed by Pakistan.
Talking about the level of cooperation between Pakistan and Afghanistan, he said: "Since the establishment of President Karzai's government, relations between the two countries are cordial and warm and both countries are trying to further cement them."
The minister said a hotline was being established between interior ministries of the two countries for a close liaison and cooperation against terrorists and drug barons.
In reply to a question about jailed Pakistani prisoners in Afghanistan, he said out of a total of 700 prisoners, 285 had been released last year and the Karzai government had agreed to release the remaining prisoners in near future.
