Pakistan and Afghanistan have agreed to collaborate towards addressing the threat of terrorism and strengthen multifaceted bilateral cooperation.The Foreign Office, in its weekly briefing on Thursday, spoke about Defence Minister Khawaja Asif leading a high-level delegation to Kabul.During their engagement, the delegation held meetings with the Afghan interim government’s senior leadership including Deputy Prime Minister Mullah Abdul Ghani Beradar Akhund, Defence Minister Mawlavi Mohammad Yaqoob Mujahid, Interior Minister Sirajuddin Haqqani and Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi.The FO said discussions around the growing threat of terrorism in the region, particularly by the banned Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) and Islamic State – Khorasan Province.
Responding to a question regarding the focus of the defence minister’s visit to Afghanistan’s capital city, FO spokesperson Mumtaz Zahra Baloch said the talks revolved around security and counter-terrorism matters and all aspects of the issue were discussed between the two sides.
She was also asked about the possibility of Pakistan’s Head of Mission in Afghanistan Ubaid Ur Rehman Nizamani’s — who was also part of the delegation and survived an assassination attack on December 2 — returning to Kabul and assuming back his charge in the Islamic Emirate. “The head of mission was part of the delegation that visited Kabul yesterday and all members of the delegation have returned to Pakistan.”
