ISLAMABAD, June 1: The Tripartite Commission comprising senior military and diplomatic representatives from Pakistan, Afghanistan and the United States will hold its 17th meeting in Rawalpindi on June 5-6, it is learnt.

The meeting takes places at a time when Pakistan-Afghanistan relations have been strained by terse exchanges with both sides trading charges of cross-border infiltration of militants.

Notably, at the upcoming meeting Nato-ISAF will participate for the first time as a full member of the Tripartite Commission. Earlier on Nato-ISAF officials participated as observers.

The meeting will focus on recent developments regarding security along the border areas between Pakistan and Afghanistan where the situation has been tense. It will also discuss ways of further improving cross-border coordination along the Pakistan-Afghanistan border, enhancing communication and intelligence-sharing to counter militants behind the daily deadly attacks in Afghanistan, diplomatic sources said.

The last Tripartite Commission meeting that took place in April was also held in Rawalpindi. At this meeting it was decided to give Nato-ISAF full member status of the Commission.