ISLAMABAD - Pakistan and Afghanistan will discuss measures for effective border control and coordinated military actions against the terrorists’ hideouts within two weeks, said Adviser to the Prime Minister on National Security and Foreign Affairs Sartaj Aziz.
Talking to reporters after addressing a “Regional Dialogue on Development, Democracy and Peace,” organised by Leadership for Environment and Development (LEAD) Pakistan, Sartaj Aziz said Afghan President Ashraf Ghani had pledged that he would not allow his country’s border to be used for terrorism.
He said the two counties have also agreed to carry out coordinated military actions against terrorists in their respective areas along the border, adding Pak-Afghan officials would meet within two weeks to discuss all the measures, including the steps to be taken for effective border management.
He clarified that the troops of any country would not conduct any action within the border of the other county, rather they have agreed on the coordinated actions within their respective territories.
Aziz said standard operating procedures (SOPs) for better border management between Pakistan and Afghanistan had been finalised and would be presented for approval before the meeting of the joint military group. He said that during the recent visit of Army Chief General Raheel Sharif to Kabul, the two countries also agreed not to let anyone use their soil against each other.
To a question about rumours on social media about the killing of TTP chief Fazalullah, the adviser clarified that there was no confirmed report about it, adding Pakistan would not take action inside Afghanistan.
To a question about Pakistan-India relations, the Adviser said serious efforts were required to resume the stalled dialogue process between the two countries. He further said there was no pressure on Pakistan from India to re-arrest the alleged Mumbai attack mastermind, Zaki Lakhvi, who was detained under 16 MPO.
Earlier, in his keynote address to the participants, the adviser said the real challenge for South Asia was peace and security and to achieve this, the region needs to make serious efforts to resolve disputes and differences through sustained dialogue.
The dialogue was chaired by Former MNA Shahnaz Wazir Ali and attended by Dr RK Pachauri, chairman, IPCC, India, Professor Akmal Hussain, executive director, IPS Sri Lanka, Dr Saman Kelegama, Bangladesh CPD Chairman Professor Rehman Sobhan, Defence and Security Analyst Lt-Gen (r) Talat Masood, LEAD CEO Ali Sheikh and other eminent experts from South Asia region.
According to Sartaj Aziz, terrorism has emerged as a major problem for South Asia after 9/11 and Pakistan has been its major victim, with the Peshawar tragedy of 16 December as its worst manifestation. Even then Pakistan had become a subject of negative narrative in the context of terrorism, he added.
“I hope the national consensus on the issue of terrorism that has emerged after the Peshawar tragedy will be followed by a regional consensus on tackling this menace,” he said.
The adviser further said relationship between India and Pakistan was one of the most intricate ones in the world, but it has been characterszed by mistrust and hostilities, with intermittent periods of dialogue and efforts at normalisation.
“The choices before us are clear; either we can stay mired in a situation of mutual mistrust and hostility or make serious efforts to resolve disputes and differences through sustained dialogue,” he said, adding regional connectivity in trade and energy could be a good game changer for the economy of South Asia. “But this vision of regional cooperation and regional integration requires a more positive political and security relationship among the South Asian countries,” he said.
Referring to the Peshawar massacre, Aziz thanked the world for expressing solidarity with Pakistan and its people, adding Pakistan would continue to fight terrorism in all its forms and manifestation.
IPCC India Chairman Dr RK Pachauri, said the region must build on the shared grief felt for Peshawar to resolve shared challenges.
Speaking about Pak-India relations, he said that both the countries needed meaningful and result-oriented dialogue to resolve outstanding issues and restore trust between each other.
LEAD Pakistan CEO Ali Tauqeer Sheikh said that purpose of this dialogue was to bring policymakers, analysts, legislators and opinion leaders to examine four interrelated dimensions that constitute the central policy challenges of our time. He also said that cooperation in the region was a matter of survival.
Lt-Gen (r) Talat Masood said that to contribute to regional peace, Pakistan has to be at peace with itself. He said: “We have to strengthen the democratic institution to strengthen the country and need democracy based on merit and for that we need political parties based on merit.”
CPD Bangladesh Professor Rounaq Jahan said: “Alongside political democracy, we need social and economic democracy to tackle extremists. In Bangladesh, violent extremism has been combated through gender equality and empowerment,” she added.
Earlier, a one-minute silence was observed to remember the victims of the 16 December Peshawar massacre.