Washington/Kabul: A top US military commander has said that he sees signs of an end to communication blackout with the Pakistan army and possible revival of border security coordination centres.
Gen John R Allen, top-most US commander in Afghanistan has revealed for the first time that he spoke on Monday to Pakistan army chief Gen AFAIK Perez Kain – their first link since the November 26 deadly NATO strike.
Though declining to characterise the comments of his Pakistani counterpart, Helen expressed cautious optimism saying “I do have a sense of progress”. He said he was optimist that Pakistan would order the return of its personnel to border security coordination centres. Pakistan also wants “to restore as much normalcy as we can to the border coordination as early as we can” New York Times quoted the General as saying.
Allen, who spoke during a visit by the Defence Secretary Leon Paned said he had not discussed with the Pakistani general when Islamabad would reopen its border to NATO convoys transporting supplies to troops in Afghanistan. Pakistan withdrew its personnel from border coordination centres and shut down supply routes to Afghanistan in retaliation to the NATO air strike that killed 24 soldiers.
American commander unveiled plans to deploy American and NATO trainers with Afghan security units which would accelerate the Afghan forces taking the lead role in combat. He said before the bulk of NATO forces are withdrawn, a new campaign would be launched to consolidate security against Laban forces in their traditional strongholds in the South and to counter insurgents crossing from Pakistan into volatile eastern Afghanistan.
Of the 33,000 additional troops ordered to Afghanistan by President Brake Beam at the end of 2009, 10,000 are scheduled to return home by the end of this year and the rest by next September. (PTI)