ISLAMABAD: A high-powered Afghan security delegation visited Pakistan onTuesday for official talks on how to jointly push peace and reconciliationefforts in Afghanistan, reported *Voice of America*link>.
Haneef Atmar, the Afghan national security advisor, led the team, whichincluded the interior minister and the head of the Afghan spy agency, theNational Directorate of Security (NDS).
Afghan sources told *VOA* that Atmar’s delegation stayed in Islamabad for afew hours and mainly met with the head of the Pakistani intelligenceagency, Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI). They said the discussionshappened in the context of the Afghan government’s conflict with theTaliban and the successful mutual cease-fire over the three-day Muslimfestival of Eidul Fitr.
TALIBAN INSISTS ON THREE DAYS:
The Taliban refused to extend its three-day cease-fire that ended on Sundayand has since returned to battlefield hostilities. The Afghan government’sunilateral week-long cease-fire will end on Wednesday.
Pakistani military spokesman, Major-General Asif Ghafoor, told *VOA* theAfghan delegation’s visit was part of ongoing bilateral engagements under anewly agreed framework known as Afghanistan Pakistan Action Plan for Peaceand Solidarity (APAPPS). He did not share any details of Tuesday’sdiscussions.
The wide-ranging APAPPS dialogue is aimed at easing mutual tensions andimproving security, intelligence, and counterterrorism, as we well aseconomic cooperation between the two uneasy neighbouring countries, topromote peace on both sides of their long shared border.
Afghan media reports said Atmar’s delegation also was intending to askPakistani officials to convince the Taliban to agree to extend itscease-fire.