Pak-Afghan mly group to work out actions: Sartaj

ALI HUSSAIN

ISLAMABAD: A joint military group of Pakistan and Afghanistan will discuss within two weeks measures for effective border control and possible coordinated military actions against the terrorist hideouts, said Adviser to the Prime Minister on National Security and Foreign Affairs Sartaj Aziz.

Talking to reporters after addressing a seminar titled: “Regional Dialogue on Development, Democracy and Peace”, organized by Leadership for Environment and Development (LEAD) Pakistan, Sartaj Aziz said that Afghan President Ashraf Ghani has pledged that he would not let his country’s border to be used for terrorism.

He said the two countries have also agreed to carry out coordinated military actions against terrorists in their respective areas along the border, adding Pak-Afghan officials will 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 inside the other county; rather they have agreed on the coordinated actions in within their respective territories.

Aziz said that standard operating procedures [SOPs] for better border management between Pakistan and Afghanistan have been finalised; and these would be presented for approval before the meeting of a 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 Maulvi Fazlullah, the Adviser clarified that there was no report about his death, adding “Pakistan shall not take action inside Afghanistan.”

To a question about Pakistan-India relations, the Adviser said serious efforts are required to resume a stalled dialogue process between the two countries. He further said that there was no pressure on Pakistan from India to re-arrest the alleged Mumbai attack mastermind Zaki Lakhvi.

Earlier, in his keynote address to the participants, the Advisor said the real challenge for South Asia is peace and security and to get this, the region needs to make serious efforts to resolve disputes and differences through a sustained dialogue.

The dialogue was chaired by former MNA Shahnaz Wazir Ali and was attended by Chairman IPCC, India Dr RK Pachauri, Professor Akmal Hussain, Executive Director IPS Srilanka Dr Saman Kelegama, Chairman CPD Bangladesh Professor Rehman Sobhan, Defence and Security Analyst Lt-Gen Talat Masood (retd.), CEO LEAD Pakistan 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 the 9/11 and Pakistan has been a major victim of terrorism, with the Peshawar tragedy of 16 December as its worst manifestation. Yet Pakistan has become a subject of negative narratives 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 that relationship between India and Pakistan is one of the most intricate one in the world but it has been characterized by mistrust and hostilities, with intermittent periods of dialogue and efforts at normalization.

“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 a sustained dialogue,” he said, adding regional connectivity in trade and energy can be 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 underlined.

Referring to the Peshawar massacre, Aziz thanked the world for expressing solidarity with Pakistan and its people, adding Pakistan would continue to extend support against terrorism in all its forms and manifestations.

Chairman IPCC, India, Dr R. K 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 a meaningful and result oriented dialogue to resolve outstanding issues and restore trust between each other.

CEO LEAD Pakistan Ali Tauqeer Sheikh said the purpose of this dialogue was to bring policy makers, analysts, legislators and opinion leaders to examine four interrelated dimensions that constitute the central policy challenges of our times. He also said that cooperation in the region is a matter of survival.

Lt-Gen. Talat Masood (retd) said that to contribute to regional peace, Pakistan has to be at peace with itself. He said that “we have to strengthen democratic institutions 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 that 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.

Professor Akmal Hussain said that only an “economic democracy” through inclusive growth can ensure a “political democracy,” adding we need to open up the structures to provide access to productive assets to poor and middle class.

Earlier, a one-minute silence was observed in memory of the victims of the 16th December Peshawar massacre.