*ISLAMABAD: *The United States (US) Department of State’s senior officialAlice Wells visited Islamabad on Monday and held meetings with ForeignSecretary Janjua and other senior officials to discuss the ‘mutualstrategy’ for Afghanistan.
This was the second successive visit of the Bureau of South and CentralAsian Affairs ambassador in a month’s time. Earlier, Wells had visitedIslamabad and Karachi during March 28 to April 3 respectively, and met withForeign Secretary Tehmina Janjua, National Security Adviser Lt Gen (r)Nasser Khan Janjua and Chief of Army Staff (COAS) General Qamar Jawed Bajwa.
When contacted, Foreign Office (FO) spokesperson Dr Mohammad Faisalconfirmed the meeting between Janjua and Wells.
“Both sides have been engaging each other to find common grounds and forthe very purpose, these successive meetings have been taking place. Thoughboth the sides are yet to reach a conclusion but efforts are underway,” hesaid.
The FO spokesman said that both the countries have been working to find outhow they can work together to find common grounds vis-à-vis the South Asiastrategy (announced by Trump administration).
According to an official handout of the US embassy, Wells during hermeetings, discussed the status of the US South Asia strategy and efforts tomake progress on the regional security and stability.
Both the sides had agreed to work closely to help resolve the situation inAfghan, and such meetings would continue in future too.
“It has been agreed that both the countries would engage each otherdirectly and the blame game in media as well as in the public would beavoided,” the official added.
When asked which areas of mutual concern were raised, the official saidPakistan had been raising three critical areas during the talks with the USofficials.
“We have been concerned over the slow rate of repatriation of Afghanrefugees. Moreover, we have been asking the Afghan and US army to takeaction and stop cross-border attacks on Pakistani soil. Another area ofconcern for Pakistan is the illicit trade of narcotics and drugs fromAfghan soil,” the official said.