ISLAMABAD, March 3: Chairman Senate Standing Committee on Defence Senator Nisar A. Memon said on Saturday that the closure of refugee camps and early repatriation of Afghan refugees would deny any safe haven to the Taliban.

"Pakistan has contributed more than any other country to the successes in the fight against terrorism and extremism," he said in a statement.

He said Pakistan's resolve to fight extremism and terrorism was unshakable. "Pakistan is fighting these forces, first and foremost, in its own interest. Our security forces have rendered tremendous sacrifices while fighting this scourge,” he remarked.

Mr Memon said Pakistan had been working with its international partners to strengthen security along the Pakistan-Afghan border.

At Chaman, where nearly 20,000 people cross border everyday, a biometric identification system had been put in place, he pointed out.

He said Pakistan was working with the United Nations and international community to close down four Afghan refugee camps in the NWFP and Balochistan. He said Pakistan was also considering fencing the border.

Mr Memon said Pakistan and its international partners had established institutional mechanisms for information and intelligence sharing as well as coordinating actions. “Successful operations have been carried out as a result of close coordination among all the sides concerned,” he said.