Kabul, Islamabad deny joint operations at border

KABUL on Friday denied their security forces had recently conducted joint operations at border region between the two neighbours.

The Presidential Palace in Kabul said Afghanistan would neither allow any foreign country under any circumstances to carry out operations on its soil nor any joint operation with Pakistan inside Afghanistan had taken place.

Some Pakistani media outlets last week quoted Interior Minister Chaudhri Nisar Ali Khan as telling the Pakistani parliament that joint operations with Afghan and NATO militants.

“Pakistan and Afghanistan recently have carried out several joint operations at border areas in a historic cooperation,” Nisar told the lower house on Saturday (Feb 7).

“Pakistan and Afghanistan in their best coordination working together against terrorism…It has been best ever coordination of Pakistan’s history on same cause.”

His remarks sparked outrage in Afghanistan, but the Pakistan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs said that “these reports are inaccurate.”

In the statement, the ministry said: “The Minister (Khan) had referred to the enhanced cooperation and coordination between the two countries in the common fight against terrorism.”

The Presidential Palace in Kabul reiterated only Afghan forces would conduct operations on Afghanistan’s soil and the Afghan forces were carrying out no joint operations with Pakistani forces.

“The Afghans have full confidence in their security forces that they can meet all challenges effectively,” the palace said in a statement.

Relations have significantly improved between Kabul and Islamabad after President Ashraf Ghani assumed power.

rm/ma

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