ISI chief discusses security issues during visit to Afghanistan

ISLAMABAD: Newly appointed Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) chief  Lt Gen Rizwan Akhtar held talks with Afghan officials on security issues, Afghan media reported on Tuesday.

Gen Akhtar visited Kabul on Monday where he met officials of the Afghan National Unity Government, private news channel Tolo TV reported.

However, there is no official confirmation of the ISI chief's visit to Kabul by Pakistan or Afghanistan.

The ISI chief was the third official from Pakistan to visit Afghanistan since the founding of the unity government in late September.

Adviser to the Prime Minister on National Security and Foreign Affairs Sartaj Aziz and Chief of Army Staff Gen Raheel Sharif also recently visited Afghanistan and met with Afghan officials to discuss security-related issues, war against insurgency and relations between both countries.

The army chief, during his recent visit to Kabul, offered training to Afghan security officials. Afghan sources say joint military exercises have also been proposed.

Afghan president Ashraf Ghani is scheduled to visit Pakistan this month to meet Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif and other officials.

Sources say both sides are working on a ‘roadmap’ for future cooperation in various fields including security. Pakistan’s cooperation is viewed as important in post-Nato Afghanistan. Both countries are likely to discuss the proposed roadmap during the visit of the Afghan president.

Army chief meets DG ISI

Army chief General Raheel Sharif on Tuesday visited the Inter Services Intelligence headquarters, according to Inter Services Public Relations.

“On arrival at headquarters, COAS was received by DG ISI Lieutenant General Rizwan Akhtar,” the statement added.

The army chief was briefed about the internal and external security situation of the country and he appreciated the role played by the ISI for national security and lauded the organisation’s contributions and sacrifices towards strengthening the defence.

The newly appointed DG ISI also met President Mamnoon Hussain earlier today, Radio Pakistan reported.