KABUL: Chief of Army Staff (COAS) General Qamar Javed Bajwa today (Monday) has asserted that Pakistan would always support “Afghan-led and Afghan-owned” peace process based on the mutual consensus of all stakeholders.
According to Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), the Army Chief met Afghan President Ashraf Ghani during his day-long official visit to Kabul. Chief of the Defence Staff UK General Sir Nicholas Patrick Carter was also present.
“Matters of mutual interest, current developments in the Afghan peace process, enhanced bilateral security and defence cooperation and need for effective border management between the two brotherly countries were discussed,” the ISPR added.
Speaking on the occasion, COAS Bajwa said that a peaceful Afghanistan means a peaceful region in general and a peaceful Pakistan in particular. President Ghani thanked the army chief for a meaningful discussion and appreciated Pakistan’s sincere and positive role in the Afghan peace process.
Later, the Army chief also called on Chairman of the High Council for National Reconciliation of Afghanistan Dr Abdullah Abdullah. Matters related to the Afghan peace process were discussed.
Violence has risen starkly in Afghanistan in recent weeks with the Taliban launching attacks throughout the country and a huge unclaimed attack taking place on a school in Kabul on Saturday that killed dozens of students.
According to an international news agency, Pakistan has been negotiating in recent weeks with insurgents to try and get them to commit to a ceasefire, agree to an extension of the US-Taliban agreement which stipulated forces should withdraw by May, and to continue to take part in peace talks at a planned conference in Turkey.
