Ekip
01 October 2017•Update: 02 October 2017
By Shadi Khan Saif
KABUL, Afghanistan
Afghan President Ashraf Ghani on Sunday met Pakistan’s army chief Gen. Qamar Javed Bajwa at the Presidential Palace in Kabul.
Ghani said the visit of Pakistan’s top military and intelligence officials to Kabul was a "new season" of relationships between the two neighboring countries, according to a statement issued by the Presidential Palace.
It was the first top-level interaction between Kabul and Islamabad after the announcement in August of the new U.S. policy by President Donald Trump, who authorized a troop ramp-up in Afghanistan, that was welcomed by the latter, but rejected by Pakistan.
The statement noted that both sides discussed matters pertaining to security in the region, peace and stability, anti-terror efforts, business and transit relationships.
Ghani emphasized that task teams should be established by both sides in different sectors to form a clear cooperation framework.
He also said a monitoring mechanism should be established to make sure both sides fulfill their promises.
Ties between the two countries deteriorated after May 31 when a truck bombing in the Afghan capital's diplomatic enclave claimed 150 lives. Kabul blamed the Pakistani-based Haqqani Network for the terrorist attack.
Pakistani Foreign Secretary Tehmina Janjua had previously led a delegation to Kabul in an effort to restore ties with its neighbor in August.
