ISLAMABAD: In a bid to repair bilateral ties frayed by recent developments, Pakistan and Iran agreed on Tuesday to establish hotline between the Frontier Corps in Balochistan and the Iranian border security force.

“We have also proposed setting up of a hotline between directors general of military operations of the two countries,” Interior Minister Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan said at a joint press conference with his Iranian counterpart Abdolreza Rahmani Fazli on Tuesday after a round of formal talks between the two sides.

On Feb 6 this year, terrorist group Jaish-ul Adl, alleged to have been operating from Balochistan, kidnapped five Iranian border guards. On March 17, the Iranian government threatened to send its security forces into Pakistan if it did not act to free the guards.

Four of the kidnapped guards were freed in early April, but the fate of the fifth guard could not be known.

Chaudhry Nisar reaffirmed Islamabad’s position that the kidnapped guards were never in Pakistan and that the question of the fifth guard’s presence in Pakistan did not arise at all.

But the Iranian minister said Tehran had already provided images and documents about the terrorist group and would give more information to Islamabad.

Mr Fazli said Iran and Pakistan had agreed to conduct joint operations against terrorism where necessary, but Chaudhry Nisar clarified and said: “If there is an issue on this side, Pakistan’s security forces will carry out an operation and if it is on the other side, the operation will be conducted by Iranian forces.”

The two sides discussed issues of security, cross-border terrorism, smuggling, human trafficking, greater intelligence sharing, cooperation between the security and intelligence apparatuses and promotion of economic ties.

Chaudhry Nisar said different aspects of bilateral relations came under discussion and “both sides agreed to form a joint task force or commission to work out an agenda for the coming visit of Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif to Iran”.

He said the PML-N government wanted that ties with Iran reflected aspirations of the two nations and served as a model for others. “We have common faith, history and culture and sky is the limit for our relations. Any irritant must be removed and we must grab this opportunity.”

In reply to a question, Chaudhry Nisar rejected any violation of Pakistan’s borders by Iran and said no such incident had taken place. “This is an unfair question. I do not know where you get this misleading information from,” he told the questioner.

In reply to another question, he said Pakistan had the best of relations with Saudi Arabia and the best of ties with Iran.

About the implementation of security agreement with Iran, he said Pakistan had some concerns and was in the process of evaluating its response. “We have done our homework and will move speedily.”

In February last year, the two countries had signed a security agreement envisaging cooperation in combating terrorism and drug smuggling.

Mr Fazli said promotion of good relations with Pakistan and other Islamic and regional countries was the cornerstone of Iranian foreign policy. He said Iran also wanted to have good relations with Saudi Arabia.

Pakistan and Iran were taking steps for implementation of a security agreement. The Iranian parliament had already ratified the agreement, he added.

Mr Fazli suggested a meeting of interior ministers of Iran, Pakistan and Afghanistan to improve the situation in Balochistan.

Earlier, the Iranian interior minister called on Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif.

“Pakistan attaches great importance to its brotherly relations with Iran and seeking a peaceful neighbourhood remains a policy priority of my government,” Mr Sharif told the Iranian minister.

He called for steps to bolster economic ties. “We need to promote strategies aimed at reinforcing our border regions through physical connectivity and joint border trade markets.”

The prime minister observed that his visit to Iran would not only serve as a political affirmation of brotherly bilateral relations but would also set a new direction for future based on mutual trust, confidence and partnership.