ISLAMABAD: Pakistan Friday rejected Afghan allegations of violation of its airspace and air raids inside Afghan territory by the Pakistan Air Force, the Foreign Office said in a statement.
Pakistani security forces undertook counter-terrorism operations in Bajaur Agency against terrorist groups who attack Pakistan from their sanctuaries based on the Afghan soil resulting in loss of lives and injuries on the Pakistani side, the statement said. “The information about the ongoing counter-terrorism operations had been shared with the Afghan security forces on a regular basis. In the meeting of the Director Generals Military Operations of the two countries held in Rawalpindi, Pakistan shared details of the operations with the Afghan side indicating that these operations were on Pakistani side of the border,” the statement added.
“Pakistan urges Afghanistan to focus on taking effective counter-terrorism actions including plugging of large gaps existing along the Afghan side of border to prevent the targeting of Pakistani civilians and security forces by terrorists from Afghan soil,” the statement said. “It is also important that the Afghan government refrains itself from blame game. Instead, there is a need to work together to combat terrorism and deepen mutually beneficial cooperation for shared progress and prosperity of the peoples of the two countries,” the statement concluded.
Published in Daily Times, April 7th 2018.
