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Abbasi Says Pakistan Open To Joint Border Patrols

Pakistan’s Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi said on Tuesday his country was willing to set up joint patrols with Afghanistan to combat militants along the porous Durand Line.

Addressing reporters in Islamabad, Abbasi said: "We are open for joint patrolling, we are open for joint posts.

“We will put up a fence there; the Afghans are welcome to put up another fence on their side," he said.

His remarks came just weeks after US President Donald Trump unveiled his new war strategy on Afghanistan and called on Pakistan to do more to eliminate insurgent safe havens.

However, he rejected claims that Pakistan was harboring insurgents and said: "All the criminal elements we are fighting are based in Afghanistan."

Abbasi said his government had not yet received specific demands from the Trump administration but that Pakistan would act on any information passed on by Washington.

"We don't think the Pakistani-US relationship will be defined by Afghanistan," he said.

"This relationship is 70 years old and cannot be redefined by one issue or it should not be redefined by one issue," he said.

Abbasi stated that Pakistan intended to “work and cooperate with the US against terrorism and if both countries have any concern it should be addressed”.

He said: “We respect others’ sovereignty and expect the same from others.”

He also stated that Pakistan had paid a heavy price due to the instability in Afghanistan but stated the solution was in an Afghan-led and Afghan-owned peace process.

Abbasi Says Pakistan Open To Joint Border Patrols

Pakistan’s Prime Minister said Islamabad was open to joint patrols and joint check posts along the Durand Line.

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Pakistan’s Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi said on Tuesday his country was willing to set up joint patrols with Afghanistan to combat militants along the porous Durand Line.

Addressing reporters in Islamabad, Abbasi said: "We are open for joint patrolling, we are open for joint posts.

“We will put up a fence there; the Afghans are welcome to put up another fence on their side," he said.

His remarks came just weeks after US President Donald Trump unveiled his new war strategy on Afghanistan and called on Pakistan to do more to eliminate insurgent safe havens.

However, he rejected claims that Pakistan was harboring insurgents and said: "All the criminal elements we are fighting are based in Afghanistan."

Abbasi said his government had not yet received specific demands from the Trump administration but that Pakistan would act on any information passed on by Washington.

"We don't think the Pakistani-US relationship will be defined by Afghanistan," he said.

"This relationship is 70 years old and cannot be redefined by one issue or it should not be redefined by one issue," he said.

Abbasi stated that Pakistan intended to “work and cooperate with the US against terrorism and if both countries have any concern it should be addressed”.

He said: “We respect others’ sovereignty and expect the same from others.”

He also stated that Pakistan had paid a heavy price due to the instability in Afghanistan but stated the solution was in an Afghan-led and Afghan-owned peace process.

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