'Pakistan, Afghanistan vow to work together for peace, stability'

FM Qureshi, Afghan premier engage in high-level Kabul talks

ISLAMABAD: Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi on Saturday held a one-on-one meeting with Afghan President Ashraf Ghani in Kabul where both leaders agreed to join hands for peace and stability in the region.

Foreign Minister Pakistan @SMQureshiPTI 's meeting with Afghanistan President @ashrafghani underway. Both countries have vowed to work together for peace and stability in the region.#Kabul #Pakistan pic.twitter.com/2MioNRgohE

— PTI (@PTIofficial) September 15, 2018

FM Qureshi arrived in Kabul to meet senior Afghan leadership during his maiden trip to Pakistan's Western neighbour after assuming office.



The minister met President Ghani and other officials in a visit that outlines the importance the current government places on working with its neighbour for peace and stability in the region.



Qureshi has been accompanied by Foreign Secretary Tehmina Janjua and the director-general for Afghan relations along with other officials. The Pakistani delegation also met Afghan Foreign Minister Salahuddin Rabbani.



In early August,  Pakistan and Afghanistan held inaugural meetings of the five Working Groups (WGs) under the Action Plan for Peace and Solidarity (APAPPS) in Kabul. The Afghan delegation was led by Afghan Deputy Foreign Minister Hekmat Karzai and the Pakistani side by Foreign Secretary Tehmina Janjua.

According to the Foreign Office, both sides assessed prospects for the APAPPS forum that covers all areas of mutual interest, including counter-terrorism and security, peace and reconciliation, bilateral trade and transit, connectivity, Afghan refugees’ repatriation and promoting people to people contacts.

Earlier in September, Qureshi said the impasse in Pakistan-US relation had been broken during a visit by US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo to discuss the Afghan peace process.



Briefing the media following the high-profile visit, Qureshi said the US administration has reviewed its policy in Afghanistan and now it is amenable to talks with the Taliban in an effort to end the 16-year-old conflict in the battered country.