Pak-Afghan flag meeting held at Torkham

LANDIKOTAL: Pakistani and Afghan officials held a flag meeting at Torkham to discuss the issues related to border security, sources said on Tuesday.

The sources said that Assistant Political Agent Rahimullah Mehsud and Colonel Taufeeq led the Pakistani side in the meeting. Afghan border commander Amin, Col Nisar and Afghan Customs Director Shoaib represented Afghanistan.

The two sides discussed border management and streamlining the movement of people and goods across the Torkham border.  The meeting agreed to control illegal border crossing and only allow those who possessed valid travel documents. Pakistani officials told the meeting that the Afghan authorities had tortured the Pakistani drivers in Afghanistan.

They told the meeting that the buildings damaged in the clashes between the Pakistan and Afghan border forces in June on both sides of Torkham should be repaired. The sources said that Afghan officials requested Pakistan to extend the border closing timings and relax rules for taking coffins of Afghans who die in Pakistan to Afghanistan.

The Afghan officials complained that the police in Peshawar demanded bribes from Afghan citizens.The meeting that lasted for two hours was held at the Pakistani side of the Torkham border.