KABUL – A delegation from Pakistan led by Pakistani Foreign SecretaryTehmina Janjua arrived in Kabul on Saturday for discussions on a number ofissues including the fight against terrorism.
Afghan and Pakistani officials discussed the suspected involvement ofPakistan in the recent attacks in Afghanistan, the Afghan foreignministry’s spokesman Shekib Mustaghni said after the meeting.
“In this meeting, the Afghanistan-Pakistan action plan for cooperation infighting terrorism, peace, return of refugees and joint economicimprovement was discussed,” he said.
Mustaghni said the visit was the follow-up of an Afghan delegation’s visitto Pakistan last week – where they submitted documents on the recentattacks in Kabul. The visit took place on February 1.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs said in a statement in Saturday “thePakistani delegation held talks with the Afghan delegation – led by DeputyForeign Minister Hekmat Khalil Karzai – on Afghanistan-Pakistan Action Planfor Peace and Solidarity (APAPPS) – a joint action plan for cooperation inthe areas of counter terrorism and reduction of violence, peace andreconciliation, refugees repatriation and joint economic development”.
The meeting was held in a cordial environment and both delegations madesome progress on the APAPPS.
There are still some important areas to be discussed and agreed upon, andboth sides remain committed to continue their discussions to reach anagreement on the APAPPS, the ministry said.
The statement added that the next meeting will take place on February 9thand 10th in Islamabad.
However, the Pakistani embassy in Kabul issued a press release on Thursdaysaying that the Pakistan delegation’s visit Saturday to Kabul was not afollow up of the Afghan delegations’s trip to Pakistan.
The Pakistan delegation visiting Kabul is part of ongoing negotiations onthe Afghanistan-Pakistan Action Plan for Solidarity (APAPS). A pressrelease to this effect was issued by the Pakistan embassy after the Afghandelegation’s visit.
The statement noted that the information provided by the NDS chief is beingexamined for its authenticity.