Pakistan, Iran to enhance border security, revive hotline

Pakistan and Iran agreed on Wednesday to boost border security and revive hotline between border security forces of the two countries.

The agreement came one week after 10 Iranian border guards were killed in clashes with militants in southeastern Iran near the Pakistani border.

Iranian leaders had alleged that the gunmen had "used Pakistani soil for the attack."

A militant group called "Jaish ul-Adl" had claimed responsibility for the attack in a statement.

Pakistan Foreign Ministry spokesman Nafees Zakaria had stated that the incident had occurred inside the Iranian territory. He condemned the attack and sent condolences to the Iranian leadership and the bereaved families.

Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif, who arrived in Islamabad on Wednesday morning, held talks with Pakistan Interior Minister Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan on various issues, including border security.

"To remove irritants and overcome issues of mutual concerns in the areas of border management, illegal human and drug trafficking, the two leaders decided that operational committees at various levels would be constituted for identification of areas of cooperation," the Interior Ministry said.

Pakistan and Iran have nearly 909 kilometers of common border.

"Both sides will also address mutual concerns and suggest ways forward for further enhancing bilateral cooperation between the two countries with special focus on border management, information and intelligence sharing and curbing illegal human and drug trafficking," said the ministry in a statement.

The two ministers also agreed on effective border management, curbing drug trafficking and checking illegal cross border movement through better coordination, greater intelligence sharing and frequent interactions at the ministerial level.

"The two leaders also reaffirmed their commitment not to let their borders and their lands used by anyone against each other," the statement said. Endit