Muslimyar alleges Pak-US deal on Durand Line

KABUL under “a secret deal”.

Muslimyar, who returned a day earlier from a visit to the Goshta district in eastern Nangarhar province, told reporters in Kabul the Americans had asked Afghans around nine years ago to allow the Pakistanis to conduct operations against insurgents in the area.

Quoting tribal elders and residents, the Senate chairman said there had been a clash between Goshta residents and Pakistani troops who first attempted to enter the area.

Afghan and Pakistani forces suffered casualties after the two sides clashed for a second time in less than a week on Monday over the reconstruction of a security gate that was razed in the previous skirmish.

Muslimyar said they had visited villages lying close the Durand Line and talked to residents there. He said after the clash between Goshta residents and Pakistani forces, the US troops intervened and asked residents to allow the Pakistanis to conduct operations against terrorists.

Under the pretext of military action against insurgents, the Pakistanis installed constructed installations 40 kilometers inside Afghanistan, he claimed, asking the government to enter talks with the US on the question.

He warned if the talks did not produce any results, lawmakers and the people would act unilaterally to defend their motherland.

“The US and NATO over the Durand Line issue. The US should not sell out our land and should respect Afghanistan’s sovereignty,” he demanded.

Muslimyar said the US had to defend Afghanistan’s borders under the strategic partnership agreement between the allies. Pakistan should not be allowed to establish military posts inside Afghanistan, he continued.

“The Durand Line is not acceptable to us and we will never recognise it,” he said, asking the US to resolve the issue with Pakistan before signing a bilateral security agreement with Afghanistan.

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