Pakistan proposes Afghan border fencing

ISLAMABAD - Prime Minister Syed Yousuf Raza Gilani has proposed a border fencing between Afghanistan and Pakistan on the pattern of 'US-Maxico model to check the uncontrolled, illegal crossings, particularly of militants, terrorists and drug-trafficking from Afghanistan into Pakistan, and in this connection sought the active support of United States.
Premier Gilani was talking to the US Secretary for Homeland Security, Janet Napilitano who called on him at the Prime Minister House on Friday.
Referring to the US Secretary for Homeland Securitys initiative as Governor of Arizona about erecting a wall between the US and Mexico border, he said that a similar pattern of fencing between Pakistan and Afghanistan could be followed to stop infiltration and drug-trafficking.
The Prime Minister underlined the fact that the international support to Pakistan for the displaced persons of Malakand Division so far had been inadequate.
He said that Pakistan had made innumerable sacrifices in terms of life and material losses in the ongoing military operation. He urged the US and the international donors to deliver on their pledges made in Friends of Democratic Pakistans meeting in Tokyo.
He also called for immediate provision of military hardware including Cobra helicopters, technology transfer as well as financial assistance to build the capacity of Pakistans law enforcement agencies.
He said that it would prepare the security personnel to effectively control the affected areas after the military operation came to a successful conclusion in Malakand division and Waziristan agencies. The Prime Minister asked the US Secretary for Homeland Security to facilitate PIAs direct flights operations to the US destinations.
Ms Janet Napilitano said that the issue of PIAs direct flights to the US would be resolved after due consideration in the near future. She also promised that the US would expedite disbursement of the pledged amount for IDPs and the financial assistance committed in Tokyo to help Pakistans immediate needs.
Federal Minister for Defense Chaudhry Ahmed Mukhtar, Federal Minister for Interior Rehman Malik, Senator Sughra Imam and US Ambassador to Pakistan Ms Anne W Patterson were present during the meeting.
Meanwhiel, President Asif Ali Zardari Friday stressed the need to strengthen the civilian security to effectively fight militants.
He was speaking during a meeting with the US Secretary of Department of Homeland Security Janet Napolitano at the Aiwan-e-Sadr.
The President said Pakistan also needed more assistance for the rehabilitation of the Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs).
The President underlined the need for early setting up of Reconstruction Opportunities Zones (ROZs) to provide jobs to the poor, to wean them away for extremists.
US Homeland Secretary Napolitano said the US administration was aware of Pakistans requirements in the ongoing fight against militancy and was keen to help Pakistan in all ways possible.
US Ambassador Anne W Patterson, Interior Minister Rehman Malik, Secretary General Salman Faruqui, Foreign Secretary Salman Bashir and senior US and Pakistani officials attended the meeting.