High-level Pak team in Kabul for cooperation talks

AVA- Led by Foreign Secretary Tehmina Janjua, a Pakistani delegation flew to Kabul to attend the maiden meeting of a joint working group on security cooperation.

On Friday, President Ashraf Ghani accused Pakistan of failing to take decisive action against the Taliban on its soil. The president denounced Pakistan as a Taliban centre.

Earlier in the week, senior officials from both sides agreed during meetings in Islamabad to boost their engagement and counter-terrorism cooperation.

After the Pakistan army chief’s meeting with President Ghani in October, five working groups are being established to address bilateral concerns.

On Friday, the Foreign Office hoped the groups would boost cooperation in different areas, including security intelligence-sharing, military, economy, trade and transit, repatriation of refugees and connectivity.

“We believe the true enemy of the Afghan people is the endless cycle of violence. This conclusion is informed by our four-decade experience of facing blowback from instability in Afghanistan,” the FO spokesman said.

A key agenda item is said to be the repatriation of about 2.7 million Afghan refugees to their home. “Our refugees’ policy is focused on voluntary repatriation of Afghan refugees to their homeland.

“Based on this policy, the Ministry of Safron being the lead ministry is engaged with all stakeholders and government of Afghanistan for voluntary repatriation,” said the spokesman.