Border Issues With Iran Not Serious: Pakistan

Islamabad, Oct 28, IRNA – Pakistan's Federal Secretary for Ministry of Interior Shahid Khan has said that border issues with Iran are not serious and will be solved easily. Khan made the remarks following a meeting on Monday with the visiting Deputy Foreign Minister of Iran for Asia-Pacific Affairs Ebrahim Rahimpour who arrived in Islamabad on Monday on a two-day visit. Speaking exclusively to IRNA, he said Islamabad is trying hard to further strengthen bilateral relations with Tehran. The Secretary Interior expressed hope that bilateral ties between the two capitals would become more friendly than before through increasing mutual respect and confidence as well as expansion of trade ties. Referring to certain reports published by Pakistani media which have lately claimed border problems existed between Iran and Pakistan, Khan said most of those reports were not based on reality. The reality is that Tehran and Islamabad enjoy friendly relations and would settle any misunderstandings through exchange of visits and talks by the officials of the two countries, he added stressing that publishing such reporters was inevitable due to the freedom of media in Pakistan. The official also said better interaction between Iran and Pakistan, particularly in border areas, could help resolve their border issues. On October 16, two Iranian border police officers were killed and several injured in southeastern Iran in an armed clash with a group of bandits at Iran-Pakistan border. Iran has criticized its eastern neighbors for failing to rein in terrorists who cross the borders back into these countries after carrying out their attacks on Iranian soil. However, certain Pakistani media have claimed in the past few days that Iran and Pakistan were lately involved in border tensions./end