ISLAMABAD: Adviser to Prime advisor on Foreign Affairs Sartaj Aziz said that Pakistan is hopeful that Afghanistan will cooperate in enhancing the border security across the Durand Lines.
“Better border management and control of cross border infiltration is in the interest of both countries,” he said. The clashes between the Afghan and Pakistani security forces have been going on from last two days with exception to temporary lulls in between. He added that diplomatic and back channel efforts are underway to contain the escalation.
Sources said that the Afghan ambassador to Pakistan traveled to Kabul yesterday to meet the senior Afghan leadership; he reached back Islamabad today where he is likely to meet the Chief of Army Staff, General Raheel Sharif and Sartaj Aziz to find a solution to the crisis. The US had also weighed in to resolve the issue, they said. Earlier, the White House said in a statement said that confrontation between Pakistan and Afghanistan is not in the interest of the regional security.
Media reports said that at least two soldiers have died on both sides while scores are injured. A major belonging to the Frontier Corps died yesterday in exchange of fire; number of other soldiers has been wounded. Clashes between Pakistan and Afghanistan are not common and its very rare that escalation reaches such scale. Tensions have risen after the death of Mullah Mansour in a US drone strike in Pakistan. Although Pakistan has openly condemned the strike by calling it a violation of its sovereignty, Afghanistan welcomed the strike by considering it a positive step in order to establish peace in Afghanistan.
Sources said that Pakistan has been lobbying number of other regional players to bring the Afghan Taliban to the negotiating table. Afghan president Ashraf Ghani has repeatedly said that Pakistan is not sincere in using its influence over the Afghan Taliban; Pakistan has refuted such claims: “We have influence on the Taliban leadership but it does not we control them,” the foreign office said in a statement.
According to some media reports, analysts believe that tensions may remain for the coming weeks as valance in Afghanistan is likely to rise after the death of Mullah Mansour. With every suicide attack, Pakistan is likely to take the blame as Kabul believes the Afghan Taliban leadership is based in the Pakistani cities.
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