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Border issue: Khalil Karzai due in Islamabad on Monday

KABUL on Monday for talks over issues concerning the Torkham border crossing.

Advisor to Pakistan Prime Minister on Foreign Affairs Sartaj Aziz had invited Afghan National Security Advisor Hanif Atmar and and Foreign Minister Salahuddin Rabbani to visit Pakistan and discuss border related issues.

But the Afghan government is sending a delegation led by Hekmat Karzai for discussion on issues relating to Torkham border and matters pertaining to border management.

In a statement, Pakistan Foreign Office welcomed the visit. It said Pakistan looked forward to meaningful deliberations through a constructive engagement between the two sides with a view to promoting bilateral relations as well as peace and stability of two countries and the region.

Pakistan and Afghanistan have nearly 2600 kilometers border, mostly porous, and the militants take advantage of the loose control.

In order to strengthen monitoring, Pakistan introduced a new mechanism that has made it obligatory for every Afghan to carry passport and visa to enter Pakistan from June 1st.

People living near the border areas on both sides would earlier move across the border without travel documents.

Afghan and Pakistani forces earlier this week clashed over the construction of a gate by the Pakistani forces at the zero point area, causing casualties on both sides.

Both sides have now declared ceasefire and the border was opened on Saturday after its six days closure. However, both countries have deployed troops and tanks along the border.

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