June 09, 2008	Monday	Jamadi-us-Sani 04, 1429

ISLAMABAD, June 8: Peace efforts in Fata and some settled areas of the NWFP will not lead to increase in militancy in Afghanistan, according to adviser to the prime minister on interior Rehman Malik.

Talking to reporters after returning from Afghanistan on Sunday, he said Pakistan and Afghanistan had agreed to take joint steps to stop infiltration of terrorists.

“The Afghan government had some concerns over peace agreements and, therefore, we invited Kabul to jointly control the common border,” Mr Malik said.

He said that a biometric system would be installed at three points on the international border.

During his five-hour-long visit, Mr Malik called on Afghan President Hamid Karzai and Interior Minister Zarar Ahmad Muqbal.

The adviser said the Afghan president was assured that Pakistan’s government was not holding talks with the local Taliban or terrorists, but with various tribal elders.

“We are holding political dialogue with people who matter in tribal areas,” he said.

He said he had discussed the security situation on the border with the Afghan president and both sides had stressed the need for improving the security apparatus.

He said he had raised the issue of repatriation of Afghan refugees.

During the meeting with the Afghan interior minister, the two sides agreed to help each other to improve the security environment.

They also agreed to appoint additional secretary of Pakistan’s ministry of interior and deputy interior minister of Afghanistan as focal persons for communication and resolution of security issues.