Governors share security concerns with Karimi

JALALABAD (PAN): Seven governors from eastern and central provinces on Monday entered a four-hour long discussion with Chief of Army Staff Gen. Sher Mohammad Karimi on security-related issues.

The meeting on an Afghan military base in the Gambir desert in eastern Laghman province was attended by governors of Nangarhar, Kunar, Laghman, Nuristan, Kapisa, Panjsher and Parwan, said 201st Selab Military Corps spokesman Col. Numan Hatafi.

He said the governors shared their concerns about security with the army chief.

After the talks, Gen. Karimi told reporters he briefed the governors on security measures and they spoke about the situation in their respective provinces.

The army chief said he would soon act to get resolved the problems highlighted at the meeting, where a majority of governors complained about the return of insecurity to areas once cleared of insurgents as a result of military operations.

“It is something new to me because I haven’t heard before about this particular problem,” the general said, revealing a security plan was being devised to ensure durable peace in areas abandoned by the army after operations. Karimi also said Afghanistan would have an independent and self-reliant air force over the next three years.

Nuristan Governor Tamim Nuristani told Pajhwok Afghan News development activities in his province had come to a standstill long ago. He asked the central government to pay attention to Nuristan’s development.

He accused Pakistani forces of sneaking into Nuristan in the disguise of Taliban and fleeing back after their operations.

His Kunar counterpart Syed Fazlullah came up with a similar allegation, saying Pakistani forces had launched ‘large-scale incursions’ into Afghanistan.

ma/mud

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