Afghanistan, Pakistan vow joint struggle against terrorism

By DPA

Kabul : President Hamid Karzai of Afghanistan and Pakistani Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz vowed Tuesday to jointly fight cross-border terrorism amid escalating tensions between the two countries.


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"Pakistan is doing all it can to ensure extremism and terrorism is opposed in every form," Aziz told a joint press conference with Karzai.

"This scourge must be fought by both countries," Aziz said. This had been done in the past, and his country would always be "committed to taking whatever action is necessary, so that any cross-border movement of elements which jeopardise each other's security is minimized and stopped", he added.

Echoing his comments, Karzai said that his country would cooperate with Pakistan "in any manner to fight effectively the menace of terrorism and extremism". The region had to be freed from threats to "our lives, our stability and our progress towards a better future".

Pakistan and Afghanistan, both key allies in the US-led war against terror, have been at loggerheads as Kabul accuses its neighbour of allowing militants from its territory to infiltrate into Afghanistan and carry out attacks – charges which Islamabad always denies.

Among several other topics discussed Tuesday, both leaders expressed satisfaction with the progress made in the preparation of a traditional Jirga (council), which is aimed at bringing peace in Afghanistan by restricting cross-border infiltration by militants.

Aziz hoped that the Jirga would open many doors of understanding between the two countries.

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