RAWALPINDI - 3Afghanistan’s ambassador to Pakistan Janan Mosazai on Wednesday held a meeting with Army Chief Gen Raheel Sharif at General Headquarters Rawalpindi and discussed security along Pak-Afghan border in the backdrop of ongoing military operation in North Waziristan Agency.
“During the meeting, ongoing operation in North Waziristan Agency (NWA) and matters of mutual interest including measures to improve security along Pakistan-Afghanistan border came under discussed,” according to a short statement released by Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR),
Military sources said that it is a first formal contact by Pakistan Army with Afghanistan since the launch of military operation in North Waziristan. Chief of Army Staff (COAS) General Raheel took up the matter of cross border terrorism with Afghan ambassador and sought Kabul’s help in tracking down most dreaded militants. A request was also extended to Afghan President Hamid Karzai to beef up security at Pak-Afghan border to check the crossing of militants from Pakistan into Afghanistan.
Earlier, Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif had a telephonic contact with Afghan president soon after the launching of full-scale military operation in NWA. Premier Sharif requested President Karzai to coordinate with Pakistani troops to make sure the elimination of terrorists, and restrict their cross-border movement.
COAS also asked Afghan defence authorities to destroy Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) hideouts in Afghanistan’s Kunar and Nooristan provinces where most of the Taliban fighters are hiding after crossing into Afghanistan from tribal areas in fear of the operation. According to the military sources, Afghan ambassador assured that Kabul would extend full support to Pakistan in its ongoing operation and that the message to destroy the hideouts would be conveyed to top Afghan defence authorities.