KABUL - Pakistan on Monday insisted that Durand Line was a settled issue, scorning President Hamid Karzai’s remarks that Afghanistan would never recognize the British-mandated border.

“Opening discussions on this issue is a distraction from the more pressing issues requiring priority attention and cooperation from Pakistan and Afghanistan,” a Pakistani foreign ministry spokesman said.

In a statement from the Pakistan embassy in Kabul, Aizaz Ahmad Chaudhry also tended to downplay Karzai’s call for the Taliban insurgents to “aim their weapons” at Afghanistan’s enemies.

He said the fight against terrorism and extremism required Pakistan, Afghanistan and all other stakeholders to work together in a spirit of cooperation and harmony. Islamabad had positively responded to Karzai’s demand that Pakistan use its influence with the Taliban to enter the reconciliation process.

He recalled the Pakistani border post in Gursal had come under attack from Afghan forces and there had been several threatening and provocative statements from Afghan leaders in this regard.

The posts were serving the useful and mutually beneficial purpose of better border management, something vital to interdicting undesirable activity, the spokesman argued.

He stressed the need for using bilateral channels, including military-to-military contacts, to resolve the issues relating to posts. Both sides had agreed on a mechanism for effective border management, he concluded. (Pajhwok)