11 February 2005	Friday	01 Muharram 1426

ISLAMABAD, Feb 10: The Pak-Afghan-US Tripartite Commission will meet here on Feb 22 to take up pressing operational and border security issues, including recent skirmishes along the Pak-Afghan border, it is learnt.

The one-day meeting of the commission will take place at the ministry of defence in Rawalpindi.

The military-dominant commission is jointly headed by Pakistan's Director Military Operations Maj-Gen Yusaf, US Lt-Gen Barno and a Lt-Gen from Afghanistan.

Issues pertaining to security along the Pak-Afghan border, including border violations and intelligence as well as military-related matters, would be discussed at the meeting, sources told Dawn on Thursday.

"The talks will focus on improving the security situation along the border by addressing coordination issues among the intelligence agencies and checking infiltration from both sides," these sources added.

According to insiders, Pakistan would underline the need for Afghanistan to do more and also call on the US government to extend more security assistance for the counter-terrorism operations along the rugged tribal belt bordering Afghanistan.

"Pakistan will push for a measure of equality and matching efforts to secure the border," a well-placed source said.

While Pakistan has 665 checkpoints along its side of the 600km stretch of the Durand Line, the coalition forces and Afghan National Army put together have only 69 posts along the Afghan side.

In an unparalleled military operation to support the US pursuit of Al Qaeda members, Pakistan has deployed 75,000 troops along the Durand Line that is again in stark contrast to the 25,000-troop strength on the turbulent Afghan side, say sources. However, military strategists maintain that with 249 unfrequented routes along the Durand Line stretch of 1,040Km, it is not possible to seal the entire border even with this troop strength.

The decision to set up the commission was taken at the highest political level in April 2003.