NATO representative in Afghanistan calls on COAS

The meeting comes two days after Afghan NSA's visit to Pakistan

North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (NATO) Senior Civil Representative in Afghanistan Sir Nicholas Kay, called on Chief of Army Staff General Qamar Javed Bajwa on Thursday.

Matters related to peace and stability in the region, Pak-Afghan border management and reconciliation process in Afghanistan were discussed.

Two days earlier, the Afghan national security adviser held crucial talks with Pakistani authorities, including the army chief, as part of the latest push by the two neighbours to remove irritants in their bilateral ties that have undermined efforts for a peace deal in Afghanistan.

Hamdullah Mohib – who led a high-powered delegation that included the Afghan interior minister – was the first senior Afghan official to have travelled to Islamabad in months.

Afghan President Ashraf Ghani sent the delegation to Pakistan after he spoke to Prime Minister Imran Khan by the phone last month. The prime minister, while renewing Pakistan’s commitment to making genuine efforts for a peace deal, invited President Ghani to visit Islamabad.

According to diplomatic sources, Mohib’s tour is part of preparations for a visit by Ghani, who is expected to travel to Pakistan next month.

The Afghan NSA’s visit was apparently kept low profile. The main engagements of the Afghan delegation were with senior Pakistani military and intelligence officials.

The meeting between army chief General Qamar Javed Bajwa and Mohib held on Tuesday but the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) issued a statement on Wednesday.