Pak, Afghan officials meet to strengthen mutual ties

Pakistan and Afghanistan today held their first Working Groups' meeting in Kabul under a comprehensive mechanism to sort out their differences and build stronger ties.

Pakistan Foreign Secretary Tehmina Janjua led a 28-member delegation for inaugural meetings of the five Working Groups (WGs) under the Afghanistan and Pakistan Action Plan for Peace and Solidarity (APAPPS) in Kabul, said Foreign Office in a statement.

The Afghan delegation was led by Deputy Foreign Minister Hekmat Karzai in the talks.

The high-level Pakistan delegation included officials from foreign and interior ministries, commerce, railway, communications, among others. Personnel of intelligence agencies and Pakistan armed forces were also part of the delegation.

 

The delegation comprised officials of five Working Groups on politico-diplomatic, military, intelligence, economic & trade and refugees issues.

Afghan deputy foreign minister and foreign secretary of Pakistan led their respective sides in the politico-diplomatic WG meeting besides co-chairing the opening and closing sessions of the APAPPS.

In the inaugural joint meeting of the WGs, the Afghan and Pakistani side 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.

Following the APAPPS inaugural session, five WGs held their respective group meetings at the level of relevant ministries and departments.

The WGs, besides discussing important issues in each area, also deliberated on the TORs for future course of action and the agenda items for their next round of meetings to be held in Islamabad at mutually agreed dates.

The concluding session noted the great importance of APAPPS to deliver on the commitments made under this forum within the mutually agreed time frame.

The APAPPS framework instituted in February provides for a comprehensive and structured mechanism to enhance engagement between counterpart institutions of the two countries.