Pakistan rethinks Afghan border security strategy

Pakistan is rethinking its strategy on the Afghan border, with the focus shifting from battling militants to ensuring security following the Nov 26 NATO attack that left 24 Pakistani soldiers dead

Pakistan Army chief General Ashfaq Parvez Kayani has said in a message to his soldiers that they need to not wait for directions from the high command to give a crushing reply to any future aggression.

Dawn said that the message points to a rethink in the military command about the role of soldiers posted on the border with Afghanistan.

The soldiers on the Afghan border are principally assigned to combat militants rather than dealing with border security.

The soldiers are given weapons relevant to the task they are expected to perform, the media report said, adding that the NATO attack has forced a rethink of the strategy with the focus shifting from fighting militants to ensuring security of the border.

NATO helicopters attacked two Pakistan Army checkposts in Mohmand Agency, killing two dozen soldiers and sparking outrage in the country.