Islamabad, Aug 01: With disagreements between Pakistan and Afghanistan continuing over maps demarcating the borders of the two countries, the tripartite technical committee overseeing the issue will meet on August 12 to iron out the differences. "The Afghans based their claim of alleged Pakistani intrusion using Russian maps that vary from the maps used by Pakistan and the United States," a Pakistani official was quoted as saying by 'Dawn' daily.

"The Afghans using Russian maps claim Pakistani forces to have intruded 12 km inside Afghanistan. This cannot be true. Even if there is an intrusion it could not possibly be more than a few metres. "Afghanistan being a successor to the state of Amir Abdur Rehman and we being successors to the British empire are signatory to the November 1893 Durand Line Treaty. The Durand Line was drawn by the British and we are using the same British maps," he said.

To sort out the difference, the tripartite committee, which comprises military officials of Pakistan, Afghanistan and US, will meet this month, he said. Pakistan insists the technical committee use the watershed that serves as the border between the two countries.

The official claimed the American military officials were in agreement with the Pakistani stand.

Pakistan-Afghanistan forces have been involved in small skirmishes in recent weeks after Kabul accused Islamabad of intruding into afghan territory in the Mohmand tribal region.

Bureau Report