Pakistan, Afghanistan boost security cooperation to counter militant groups

ISLAMABAD, Feb. 1  (Xinhua) — Pakistan and Afghanistan have significantly increased bilateral collaboration as the previous traditional blame game had badly hindered their efforts to effectively deal with militant groups.

Military commanders and security officials are now regularly consulting to mutually share intelligence and coordinate security operations on their respective sides of the border.

Afghan Army Chief General Sher Muhammad Karimi, during his recent meeting with his Pakistani counterpart General Raheel Sharif in Rawalpindi, agreed that their commanders would begin meeting immediately to further coordinate cross-border security operations.

As the bilateral visits of senior military leaders and top intelligence personnel have recently increased, Pakistan’s spy chief, Lt. Gen.Rizwan Akhtar, met Afghan President Mohammad Ashraf Ghani in Kabul and discussed ways to boost anti-terror cooperation, the Afghan Presidential Palace said.

It was the third visit of Gen. Rizwan to Afghanistan since he assumed office in November, reflecting the fast growing cooperation in security areas. Officials said the discourse is aimed at pursuing a policy to comprehensively establish a bilateral forum for discussions, instead of accusing each other publicly.