ISLAMABAD - A Pakistan-led tripartite commission comprising the United States and Afghanistan on the management of Pak-Afghan border is on the cards after Senator John McCain, Chairman of the US Senate Armed Services Committee, committed to support the proposal.
Credible sources told The Nation on Sunday that Senator John McCain who is currently heading a four-member bipartisan US Senate delegation to Pakistan held out the categorical assurance to Pakistani leadership after his visit to the North Waziristan Agency yesterday and had firsthand account of the successes of Pakistan armed forces in clearing the onetime epicentre of international terrorism.
According to sources, US Senate delegation supported Pakistan’s viewpoint on challenges relating to management of the Pak-Afghan border and its efforts to implement its plans to secure the border on Pakistan side.
The moves came after the Afghan government failed to take steps in coordination with Pakistan government through a bilateral commission to manage the border effectively as part of a joint strategy to prevent cross border movements of the terrorists. Islamabad on its part has already taken a number of steps to secure border on Pakistani side but unfortunately provocative firing by the Afghan security forces to stop installation of a gate on Torkham border last month led to a bloody flare up and consequently a senior officer and soldiers of Pakistan Army were killed and wounded.
According to ISPR, Senator John McCain, accompanied by a congressional delegation including Senator Lindsey Graham and Senator Joe Donnelly yesterday went to North Waziristan Agency to visit areas cleared of terrorists in Operation Zarb-e-Azb. Having seen firsthand, the erstwhile hideouts and communication infrastructure, been cleared of terrorists, the delegation was highly appreciative of Pak Army’s accomplishment of cleansing the entire area of North Waziristan right upto Pak-Afghan border.
Senators also commended the rehabilitation work being carried out by Pak Army to resettle tribals back in their area with dignity and honour.
Later, the delegation also met with wounded soldiers and officers who were seriously affected during initial phases of Op Zarb-e-Azb and have now voluntarily rejoined the battlefield. The visitors appreciated the determination and grit of all affected Pakistani soldiers and their unparalleled sacrifice for their motherland.
On Saturday, Chief of Army Staff General Raheeel Sharif during his meeting with the US Senate delegation dilated upon security challenges faced by Pakistan and its contribution to regional stability and global peace. “Pakistan’s successes in war on terror, [and] need for an effective border management across [the] long porous Pak-Afghan border to check illegal movement on either side of the border were also discussed,” a statement from ISPR said about the meeting.
The US delegation agreed and emphasised upon the need for more coordinated actions to prevent the cross-border movements of the terrorists.
Pakistan has a long list of complaints against Afghanistan for its lacklustre approach towards tracking down the defunct TTP and some of its key leaders including Moulvi Fazlullah who had escaped military operations in Fata region and established safe heavens on Afghan soil.
The visit of the US high-powered delegation was crucial to do away with the mutual trust deficit created following a US drone attack in Nushki in May that took out Afghan Taliban chief Mullah Akhtar Mansour, which was taken by Islamabad as a major setback to peace process under quadrilateral mechanism. Pakistan claims that its security forces acted against all terrorist groups indiscriminately.
