Pakistan, Afghan, US commanders review border control

Senior military leaders of Pakistan, Afghanistan and the United States on Saturday discussed measures to improve control of the border to check the movement of militants, said an army statement on Saturday. The Trilateral meeting held in the Pakistani garrison city of Rawalpindi was attended by Commander ISAF General Joseph F. Dunford, Afghan army chief General Sher Mohammad Karimi and Pakistan army chief General Ashfaq Parvez Kayani, said the statement. The three sides discussed matters of mutual interest with particular emphasis on coordination measures at Pak-Afghan border and Standing Operating Procedures put in place to improve the border control, it said. The statement did not give any more details. The meeting was held at a time when relations between Pakistan and Afghanistan are at the lowest ebb over cross-border attacks and Kabul claimed that Pakistani forces have built check posts on its side of the border. Pakistan says it has renovated its old posts on its side of the border and had also informed the Afghan authorities about the renovation. In March the Afghan Foreign Ministry said that a visit of Afghan army officers to Pakistan was cancelled over "Pakistani shelling" in parts of eastern Kunar province. Pakistan says that militants, who had fled military operation in the tribal regions, are now operating from Afghanistan border regions and routinely launch attacks on Pakistani posts and villages. Over 100 Pakistani security personnel and civilians have been killed in militant attacks from Afghan side border in one year, said Pakistani officials.