ON Monday, Afghan forces intruded Kurram Agency and killed two tribesmen. This incident took place at Muqbal village, some 20km south of Parachinar. It is stated that a few hours ago an early morning attack in a village near Kherlachi had been repulsed. But the Pakistani army entered Muqbal while pursuing the attackers who opened fire at the tribesmen and killed two of them. An Afghan army spokesman refuted the allegation that the Karzai government’s army had intruded Pakistani territory. But the increasing activity of the Afghan National Army on the Pak-Afghan border and its reflection in world news agencies reports contradicted this claim. The incidents of violation along the international border and the intrusion of Pakistani territory have suddenly increased in the past few days. Those Taliban who fled a 2009 army offensive are regrouping for aggression against Pakistan.

…The intrusion of militants patronised by Afghanistan is worrisome especially when high-level negotiations are being held between Pakistan and America these days to remove their differences.

…On the one hand, the American diplomats and Isaf commanders are trying to effect a rapprochement with Pakistan through serious parleys and on the other a new series of aggressive acts has been launched against Islamabad through absconding local militants. Pakistan needs to seriously assess as to which benefits the US wants to achieve through such an aggressive policy. On the hand one, American diplomats and the Isaf commanders are conducting parleys and on the other the Karzai forces are launching attacks. This can easily be termed duplicitous. Isn’t it the aim of such a strategy to use the Afghan government for aggression against Pakistan and throw its army into the furnace of confrontation? — (July 13)

Selected and translated by Intikhab Hanif