Pak-Afghan: Another attempt by Pakistan to mend bilateral ties

Pak-Afghan: Another attempt by Pakistan to mend bilateral ties

Officials say a 15-member parliamentary delegation headed by the speaker of Pakistan's lower house of Parliament has traveled to Afghanistan in an effort aimed at easing tensions with Kabul.

Sardar Ayaz Sadiq, speaker of the National Assembly, will meet with Afghan President Ashraf Ghani and other officials.

Afghan Ambassador Omar Zakhilwal welcomed the visit, saying both sides will discuss a range of issues.

The visit is being given importance because it comes weeks after relations between the two countries were strained following Pakistan's decision to close the border with Afghanistan in response to an attack on a Sufi shrine that killed 90 worshipers.

Pakistan at the time claimed an affiliate of the militant Islamic State group orchestrated the attack on Afghan soil.

Kabul denied the charge, but offered cooperation to probe the issue.