KABUL: Prime Minister (PM) Shahid Khaqan Abbasi on Friday was welcomed with a guard of honor at the Afghani presidential palace on his one-day visit.
A delegation consisting of National Security Advisor General (r) Nasser Janjua, Foreign Minister Khawaja Asif, Interior Minister Ahsan Iqbal and Governor Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KPK) Iqbal Zafar Jhagra will be accompanying PM to discuss political and security situation in Afghanistan with its government.
Afghan President Ashraf Ghani had extended an invitation to PM Abbasi to visit Afghanistan following Pakistan’s support to Ghani’s proposal of peace talks with the Taliban. Ghani stressed on strengthening Pak-Afghan bilateral relations in political, socio-economic and security platforms to defeat the Taliban. He said that both the countries should cooperate in combating narcotics trade and smoothing the process of Afghan refugee’s settlement.
The Pakistan Foreign Office (FO) issued a statement affirming Pakistan’s support to Afghan government in capacity building, infrastructure, health and educational sectors. It also stated that both the countries will initiate assistance in different walks of life for the people.
PM Abbasi during the meeting urged Afghan leadership to refrain from blame-games in the wake of allegations against Pakistan’s Air Force violated Afghan airspace. FO spokesperson Dr. Mohammad Faisal had previously tweeted that Afghanistan should counter-terrorism on its side of the border as the large-gaps provide a safe-haven as well as platform to the terrorists to carry out terrorist activities on the Pakistani side of the border.
Previously a Pakistani delegation led by Foreign Secretary Tehmina Janjua met with the Afghan officials to discuss various issues and concerns.
Prior to that United States’ State Department Deputy Secretary Alice Wells had visited Pakistan to discuss Pakistan’s role in the War against Terror and discuss the perpetuating security concerns for Afghanistan and Pakistan.
Pakistan and Afghanistan play a vital role in the South Asian region with the Turkmenistan-Afghanistan-Pakistan-India (TAPI) gas pipeline project. Both the countries are stakeholders in US’s war against terrorism in post 9/11 scenario. PM Abbasi had visited Kabul in February 2018 to inaugurate TAPI gas pipeline project.
