Kayani urges Isaf commander to curb border incursions
ISLAMABAD: The Pakistani Army chief has expressed his reservations to Isaf commander Gen John Allen over cross border incursions by militants based in Afghanistan, DawnNews reported.
Gen Allen, the top commander of American and Nato forces in Afghanistan was visiting Pakistan amid heightened tensions between the two countries.
The US accuses Pakistan of not acting against militant networks allegedly based on Pakistani soil. The two countries have also been at loggerheads over still-closed Nato supply lines.
Pakistan, on the other hand, blames Nato and Afghan forces of failing to act against militant safe havens in Afghanistan, and repeated border violations and attacks by insurgents.
The Isaf commander’s visit follows a similar cross-border attack by Taliban militants on Sunday, resulting in the deaths of 13 Pakistani soldiers.
Sources told DawnNews that General Kayani has raised the issue of border violations and cross-border attacks in his meeting with the US General in Rawalpindi, adding that such incidents will not be tolerated in the future.
Sources added that the US general has assured Gen Kayani that he will raise the issue with the Afghan National Army.
The Pakistani military had said on Monday that US Marine Gen John Allen’s visit was to focus on reviewing the “progress made in the implementation of recently evolved border coordination measures and standing operating procedures.”
Relations between Pakistan and the US have plunged since Pakistan’s closure of supply lines to Afghanistan.