Afghanistan, Pakistan Sign Agreement

The presidents of Pakistan and Afghanistan Sunday signed an agreement calling for increased mutual trust between the two countries.

Pakistani President Pervez Musharraf and Afghan President Hamid Karzai said they hope the six-point agreement will ease strained relationships caused by the presence of Taliban and al-Qaida militants along the countries’ shared border, BBC News reported.

Speaking to about 700 tribal leaders from both countries in Kabul, Musharraf denied Pakistan has been harboring Taliban and al-Qaida fighters.

The agreement signed at the peace jirga in Kabul calls for a reduction in drug smuggling and the promotion of economic projects in the border regions.

Karzai and Musharraf also pledged to form a smaller 50-member jirga that will meet regularly to review security measure and promote talks with opposition forces, the BBC said.

Tribal elders from Pakistan’s North Waziristan boycotted the jirga, saying no solution to peace could be found without the presence of the Taliban, who were not invited to the jirga.