ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s Interior Minister Sheikh Rashid Ahmed has said Pakistan army soldiers had replaced paramilitary Frontier Constabulary, Levies and other forces on front line positions along the border with Afghanistan as Taliban insurgents gain control of more and more territory along the neighboring country’s frontiers.
The Pentagon has said Taliban insurgents’ control now extends to over half of half Afghanistan’s district centers. The Taliban are also putting pressure on the outskirts of half of the provincial capitals, trying to isolate them. US intelligence assessments have warned that the Afghan government could fall in as little as six months, officials have told Reuters.
“Now regular army troops are manning the border after replacing the paramilitary forces,” Ahmed said in a television interview on Friday night. “Paramilitary troops, including the Frontier Constabulary, Levies, Rangers are deployed at the borders to deal with regular issues, including illegal border crossing, smuggling etcetera. However, the current volatile situation [in Afghanistan] demands that regular military troops be deployed along the border.”
Military spokesperson Maj Gen Babar Iftikhar had also recently told a TV channel that Pakistan army troops were now manning the Afghan border and the move would help prevent the escalation of violence from Afghan soil or airspace to the Pakistani side.
The Taliban’s swift territorial gains are rattling Afghans just as the United States withdraws from a war that succeeded in punishing Al-Qaeda following its September 11, 2001 attacks on New York and Washington but failed to deliver anything close to peace for Afghanistan.
President Joe Biden has promised to provide financial assistance to Afghan forces and to redouble diplomatic efforts to revive stalled peace talks.
But the Taliban have not responded to calls from 15 diplomatic missions and the NATO representative in Afghanistan to halt their military offensives. The insurgents and the Afghan government also failed to agree on a cease-fire at talks in Doha during this week’s Eid holidays.
In the past, the Taliban have called short cease-fires for Eid, saying they wanted to let Afghans spend them in peace.
US military officials believe the Taliban are seeking to end the war with a battlefield victory, instead of at the negotiating table.
Pakistan replaces paramilitary forces on Afghan border with army — interior minister
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Pakistan replaces paramilitary forces on Afghan border with army — interior minister
- Frontier Constabulary, Levies and other paramilitary forces pulled from front line positions along border with Afghanistan
- Move comes as Taliban insurgents gain control of more and more territory along the neighboring country’s frontiers
Pakistan U19 to open tri-series against Afghanistan on Saturday in Zimbabwe
- Pakistan enter the tournament as U19 Asia Cup champions after beating India by 191 runs in Dubai
- The tri-series is seen as key preparation for next month’s U19 World Cup in Zimbabwe and Namibia
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s under-19 cricket team will begin their tri-series campaign against Afghanistan on Saturday in Harare, using the tournament as a key preparation for next month’s ICC Men’s U19 World Cup co-hosted by Zimbabwe and Namibia.
Pakistan, the reigning ACC Men’s U19 Asia Cup champions, are competing in the 50-over tri-series alongside Afghanistan and hosts Zimbabwe, with each team playing the others twice before the top two advance to the final on Jan. 6.
Pakistan won the eight-team Asia Cup in Dubai earlier this month, beating India by 191 runs in the final, and will play a minimum of four matches in the tri-series, starting at Harare Sports Club on Saturday.
“The Asia Cup was a good win for us and the players showed great morale and intensity,” Pakistan captain Farhan Yousaf said, according to the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB). “The tri-series is very important for the players and will help us find the right combinations ahead of the ICC Men’s U19 World Cup.”
Pakistan will face Zimbabwe on Dec. 29 before meeting Afghanistan again on Jan. 2, followed by a second match against the hosts on Jan. 4. Matches will be played across venues in Harare, including Harare Sports Club, Prince Edward School and Sunrise Sports Club.
The tri-series is being seen as an important warm-up ahead of the U19 World Cup, which will be held from Jan. 15 to Feb. 6. Pakistan are placed in Group C and will play all their group-stage matches in Harare.
“The conditions here are similar and will be beneficial for our World Cup preparations,” Yousaf said. “Both teams in the tournament are strong and competitive and we respect every opposition as we look forward to a competitive event.”
Pakistan will open their World Cup campaign against England on Jan. 16, followed by matches against Scotland and Zimbabwe, with the Super Six stage beginning on Jan. 25 and the final scheduled for Feb. 6 at Harare Sports Club.
