Pakistan says it is open to joint Afghan border patrols

ISLAMABAD – Pakistan's prime minister says his country is willing to set up joint patrols with Afghanistan to combat militants along their porous border.

Last month, President Donald Trump called on Pakistan to do more to eliminate militant sanctuaries, a longstanding U.S. demand, as he announced a new strategy to try to win the 16-year war in Afghanistan.

Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi denied the existence of militant sanctuaries in a meeting with reporters on Tuesday, saying Pakistan is "fighting agents of chaos."

U.S. officials and independent analysts have long accused Pakistan of turning a blind eye to militants battling U.S. forces in Afghanistan, even as it cracks down on other militant groups that target its own citizens.