'No build-up of forces along Pakistan's border with Afghan'

.............................................................


Islamabad, July 15 (PTI) The Pakistan Army today downplayed reports about a build-up of US-led coalition forces along the country's frontier with Afghanistan and said there had only been a "routine movement" of forces on the border.Residents of the restive North and South Waziristan agencies told television channels that they had seen about 300 Afghan and NATO troops being deployed within five kilometres of the Pakistan border. They also said the troops were backed by armoured vehicles, tanks and artillery.However, military spokesman Maj Gen Athar Abbas described the movement of the troops on the Afghan side of the border as routine."As far as our information is concerned, there was a routine movement of forces and vehicles on the Afghan side of the border, which is well within their side. This is a routine movement for some exercise or some operations there," Abbas told reporters."We closely monitor all such moves and there is nothing to be worried about. I think unnecessary hype has been created," he added.Reports suggested that the troops had been moved to occupy more than 15 new border posts that had been set up on the Afghan side of the frontier in Waziristan. The movement was apparently aimed at stopping the infiltration of militants from the Pakistani side. PTI