TEHRAN, Apr 22 (APP):Pakistan and Iran on Monday agreed to boost security cooperation and set up a Joint Rapid Reaction Force to fight terrorism and guard the common border between the two countries.
Leadership of both the countries also agreed to further strengthen bilateral trade and economic ties.
Prime Minister Imran Khan while speaking at a joint press conference with the Iranain President Hassan Rauhani said both the countries would not allow terrorists activities from each other sides and security chiefs of the two countries would set to discuss ways of cooperation.
The prime minister expressed the hope that this would build confidence between the two countries to reach the conclusion that they would not allow their soils to be used against each other.
“This government in Pakistan for the first time is dismantling any militant group in the country and this is not done from any outside pressure, it is a decision made through consensus across the political spectrum that we will not allow our soil to be used by anyone against anyone, “ the prime minister said.
In the last 12 to 13 years Pakistan had suffered a lot from terrorism where 70,000 of our people lost their lives in terrorists activities. “ We are much lucky than Afghanistan which despite NATO’s strength and Afghan security forces could not tackle militancy as Pakistan did.”
Prime Minister Imran Khan, along with a delegation was on his maiden two-day official visit of Iran, at the invitation of Iranian President Hassan Rouhani, to strengthen bilateral and commercial relations.
He said few days back 14 of Pakistan security personnel were killed by terrorists in Urmara, Balochistan, adding that he knew Iran had also suffered from terrorism.
Imran Khan said that four decades of war in Afghanistan had affected both Pakistan and Iran, adding peace in Afghanistan was in the interest of both the countries.
“We will cooperate with each other in helping political settlement of Afghan issue as peace in the war torn country will help both Pakistan and Iran,” the prime minister said.
