Pak-Afghan govts asked to fight cross-border terrorism jointly

Safma seminar

ISLAMABAD: The participants of seminar condemned recent hike in cross-border terrorism in Pakistan and Afghanistan and call on the two governments to pool all their resources with absolute resolution to jointly fight against cross-border terrorism and manage their border in a coordinated and effective manner.

The seminar was organised by South Asian Free Media Association (SAFMA) and was addressed by Shireen Mazari, PTI, Farhatullah Babar, PPP, Afrasayab Khattak, ANP, Hasil Bizenjo, National Party, Lt Gen Talat Masood (retd) and  and Ahmad Rashied, senior journalist.

The participants approved following resolution: A. Condemn attacks on Bacha Khan University, Tolo television journalists, Jalalabad, Mazar-I-Sharif and numerous other places and called for coordinated operations against all those who indulge terrorism, kill innocent people and disturb peace, without any exception;

B. Any terrorist attack taking place from across the border in other country should be taken an attack against the country of origin - be it Pakistan or Afghanistan. Both countries must not let their territory be used against the other country and take all possible measures to prevent it in coordination with one another and strengthen bilateral security mechanisms;

C. Quadrilateral Forum of China, US, Pakistan and Afghanistan must ensure peace in Afghanistan by ensuring its security and help reconciliation process be strengthened by engaging the militants who are willing to take the road of peace through negotiations.

D. Both the Afghan government and the Taliban must agree to a ceasefire through mutual accommodation and a sense of purpose for a peaceful, diverse, pluralist and democratic Afghanistan and initiate and continue their dialogue in an uninterruptible manner.

E. Pakistan and Afghanistan are both suffering from terrorism and the stability in the two countries is intertwined. Therefore, instead of indulging in blame game, they must join hands at all levels to manage their border, fight together against those terrorists who cross to the other country to carry out heinous crimes. If Pakistan must not let its territory used by any terrorist group against Afghanistan, so should Afghanistan not let any terrorism and subversion originate from its territory, either by any terrorist group or third country.

F. The border question between the two neighbours be permanently settled while allowing regulated movement of tribes divided across the border.

G. Afghanistan must facilitate Pakistani trade routes to Central Asia, so should Pakistan allow Afghanistan access South Asia. The stalemate on transit trade should be resolved in order to move towards greater connectivity between Central and South Asia.