Sir: Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi has reiterated that Pakistan is sincerely committed for making efforts for peace and stability in war-torn Afghanistan and also pointedly mentioned appreciable success in the ongoing war against terrorism. The Prime Minister, who is in US on a private visit on leave, had an an unscheduled one on one meeting with US Vice-President Michael Pence in Washington the other day. The meeting, which lasted about 30 minutes and had taken place at Pakistan request focused on efforts for finding a negotiated settlement of the ongoing conflict in Afghanistan. Reports reaching here said PM Abbasi has assured the US Vice-President that no other country wants a peaceful Afghanistan more than neighbouring Pakistan as it will be direct beneficiary of the peace and stability there . It is good to note that this was continuation of holding of talks between the two leaders as PM Abbasi and US Vice-Resident Pence had earlier met on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly session in New York in 2017 and after that have also remained engaged with each other and sustaining forward the ties between the two countries, supposedly decades old allies, which somehow had been on a downward trajectory after the announcement of of President Trump announced his policy for South Asia and Afghanistan in August 2017 and hurling accusations on Pakistan of doing nothing to eliminate terrorists. Such a high level contacts between the leaders of two countries are keeping the relations between Washington and Islamabad going on though still bitter and not so ideal and pleasant one as demand for doing more and more keeps pouring in from American leadership and Pakistan’s achievements in effectively combating terrorism, militancy and extremism and sacrifices being so offered are not duly being acknowledged which is quite regrettable, please. Thanks. ASIM MUNIR Rawalpindi Published in Daily Times, March 21st 2018.