Pakistan Wants to Help Train Afghan Security Forces, Ambassador Says

ST. PETERSBURG (Sputnik) - Pakistan wants to help Afghanistan in its efforts to boost security as soon as the militant-run interim government has consolidated its power, the Pakistani ambassador to the country said.

"We definitely want to work with Afghanistan and Afghan government for training the security forces, for the capacity building of the forces," Mansoor Ahmad Khan said in an interview.

The neighbours share a 1,600 mile-long border. The diplomat said the movement of armed groups in the border area created security and terrorism challenges that require Pakistan and Afghanistan to act together.

"We have been engaged with the previous government and we would like to strengthen our engagement with the incoming government in Afghanistan in security and counterterrorism areas," he said.

Mansoor Ahmad Khan added that any assistance to Afghanistan would be tailored to the needs and aspirations of its future government.

"At the moment the Afghan government is busy with consolidating its institutional structure and once it is through with this phase we definitely want to get engaged with them because it is important for peace and stability in both our countries," the ambassador said.

Pakistan has not recognized the caretaker government formed by the Taliban* weeks after the latter overran Kabul in mid-August. Pakistani Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi said on Monday that it needed to become more proactive and live up to its promises.

*A terrorist group outlawed in Russia and many other countries.