ISLAMABAD, Nov 17: Additional militia and scouts posts have been set up and military troops deployed to beef up security at the border with Afghanistan to check any unauthorised crossing, Interior Minister Moinuddin Haider said the other day.

The security agencies have also been directed to arrest anyone who attempts to cross over to Pakistan without proper travel documents, Mr Haider told reporters.

He described the situation at the border as normal and brushed aside suggestion of any threat from the forces of Northern Alliance.

The Northern Alliance have not got enough forces to pose any threat to Pakistan, he added.

Earlier, Mr Haider signed an agreement with the visiting Iranian Interior Minister Mousavi Lari for setting up a ministerial committee to further cement relations between the two countries.

The ministerial committee, he added, would also monitor implementation of various accords reached between the two nations.

He said that Iran was in support of establishing a representatives government in Kabul according to the will and wishes of the Afghan people; the one which would respect international norms and principles and have friendly relations with all its neighbours.

Mr Haider said there was a complete convergence of views between Pakistan and Iran over the question of formation of a broad-based government in Kabul.

He said he had an extensive exchange of views over a number of bilateral issues including trade, drug trafficking and cross-border movement of criminals.

Mr Mousavi said they also explored the possibility of cooperation between the two countries in the area of police training, development of computerised database of the population and issuance of identity cards.

As regards differences between the two countries over Afghanistan, Mr Mousavi said the kind of relations Iran enjoyed with Pakistan was exemplary for the whole region.