In a bid to fight terrorism and drug trafficking along the troubled Pakistan-Afghanistan border, Pakistan and US signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) worth $2.7 million in security and communications equipment, The News reported on Friday.
US ambassador Ryan Crocker, Pakistani Minister for Interior Aftab Ahmad Khan Sherpao and Frontier Constabulary (FC) Commandant Navid Malik Khan signed the documents.
A press release of the US embassy said, "it will promote Pakistan's efforts to enhance the capacity of the FC by raising additional 50 platoons to protect the 286 km border of the frontier region".
In a coordinated move to support security forces, the MoU follows commitments the US government made last year to provide $30 million in supplemental funds to fight narcotics and enhance border security.
More than $15 million of the assistance is dedicated to delivering communications, transport and security equipment to the North West Frontier Province (NWFP) and Balochistan Frontier Corps.
A large portion of this equipment will be delivered to the Frontier Corps by the end of this year.
In addition to the assistance, the US Department of Justice-run International Criminal Investigative Training Assistance Programme (ICITAP) is in discussions with the FC to begin improvements to its training capacity by providing updated technological and communications equipment to two training centres.
{{/usCountry}}In addition to the assistance, the US Department of Justice-run International Criminal Investigative Training Assistance Programme (ICITAP) is in discussions with the FC to begin improvements to its training capacity by providing updated technological and communications equipment to two training centres.
{{/usCountry}}The ICITAP will also provide trainers to FC to develop curriculum and assist them in training the new recruits as well as updating the capacity of existing personal.
Sherpao said that Pakistan was playing an important role in war against terrorism.
He said that Islamabad and Washington were cooperating with each other in various sectors, adding that this would increase further in the future.
"We are pleased to be able to assist the FC with its law enforcement efforts," said Crocker.
Improving security along the Pakistan-Afghanistan border was imperative, he added.