ISLAMABAD: Pakistan and Afghanistan authorities on Saturday agreed on a ceasefire, days after clashes between the security forces on Pakistan-Afghanistan border in Kurram district.
This was agreed in a “grand jirga” of elders from Pakistan and Afghanistan which was also attended by senior officials from both sides at Kharlachi border crossing on Saturday. A separate flag meeting of the security officials from both sides was also held at the Kharlachi Gate to discuss the situation.
Sources privy to the development told Business Recorder that the two sides exchanged views of the issues that led to clashes between the security forces of the two countries. They said that major reasons of constant clashes are the support of the local Afghan authorities and population to the outlawed Tehreek Taliban Pakistan (TTP) that frequently attacks Pakistani border posts with the local support across the border, besides Afghan security forces’ resistance to repair and construction of border fences and security posts.
They said that the Afghanistan side once again urged the Pakistan side to hold talks with the TTP, saying that it is one of the major reasons that resulted in tension between the two countries.
Local Pakistani and Afghan elders presented three-point agenda and suggested that Kharlachi Gate should be opened for all types of traffic; another jirga of elders from both sides to be held after three days; committees should be formed from both sides within a month, in which there should be a separate committee related to trade be constituted and mandated to contact each other at the Kharlachi gate for discussing various issues.
Pakistan side was led by Brigadier Shehzad Azim who according to the sources, told the Afghanistan side that Pakistan has clearly conveyed to Afghanistan side at the highest level that we will complete work on our posts without any resistance. However, when Pakistan side start working the border posts, they are repeatedly attacked by Afghanistan side.
Brigadier Azim also conveyed to the Afghanistan side that the local leaders near the Pakistan border support the TTP and help them enter Pakistan and sometimes attack Pakistani posts. “We have no war with Afghanistan but we are in an open war with the TTP,” Brigadier Azim was quoted to have told the Afghanistan side. He further said that for about a month in the area of Spina Shaga and Teri Mangal, Pakistan posts are being attacked and the local authorities do not respond when they are contacted.
Senior Afghan police officer Sher Mohammad said that both Pakistan and Afghanistan are brothers and the people of his country give due regard to the people of Pakistan. He said that the security forces of both sides should form local communities so that they can solve their problems together. “We had a discussion in Islamabad that where the fence is installed and if the rainwater takes it away from there, then you can build a fence there again,” the Afghanistan official acknowledged. However, he added that there are 52 places Afghanistan claims to be its territories while there are 12 places where the government of Pakistan claims that these are its parts.
While urging Pakistani side to hold talks with the TTP, the Afghanistan official said that after taking over Afghanistan, Taliban pardoned 300,000 murderers. “We also told your elders in Islamabad that you should sit and negotiate with the TTP and as long as there is TTP, this tension between Pakistan and Afghanistan will continue,” Senior Afghan police officer Sher Mohammad was quoted by the source to have told the Pakistani side. However, the two sides agreed on a ceasefire and agreed to continue contacts to resolve the border disputes as well as cross-border shelling and the trade-related issues.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2024