Pak signs MoU with Afghanistan and Turkey for joint training

Pakistan has signed an agreement with Afghanistan and Turkey that will allow for joint training of law enforcement and military personnel of the three countries.

The agreements—a memorandum of understanding on training cooperation signed by the Interior Ministers of the three countries and a protocol for mutual exercises and training courses signed by the army chiefs—were finalised on November 1 during a trilateral summit hosted by Turkey.

"All three countries have signed the document and that means there are possibilities of training in all three countries of personnel of the three countries," Foreign Office spokesperson Tehmina Janjua told a weekly news briefing. Janjua was responding to a question on whether Pakistan had initiated any fresh move to train Afghan law enforcement and military personnel.

She said the agreements would allow the joint training of police personnel for counter-terrorism and law enforcement duties.

They would also facilitate joint exercise and training by military personnel, she said.

Pakistan is committed to promoting stability, peace and prosperity in Afghanistan and has supported all initiatives for stability and regional economic cooperation, the spokesperson said.

Pakistan is also participating in trilateral processes on Afghanistan, including those involving Turkey, Iran, the US, Tajikistan and Russia, she added.

While participating in the Istanbul Conference on Afghanistan, Foreign Minister Hina Rabbani Khar had said Pakistan would provide full support to endeavours to "overcome all challenges" in Afghanistan.