Pakistan's foreign-ministry spokesman, Aizaz Ahmed Chaudhry, said Islamabad didn't violate an agreement with Kabul that there would be no construction of new outposts on the disputed border, and that Pakistani forces were merely "engaged in renovation and repair" at the facility.
Many in Pakistan argue that if Washington is prepared to hold talks with the Afghan Taliban, then the U.S shouldn't stand in the way of Islamabad's negotiations with militants there, who are responsible for killing thousands of civilians and security personnel.