Daily Times

ISLAMABAD: Chief of Army Staff (COAS) General Qamar Javed Bajwa on Tuesday welcomed recent “peace initiatives” in Afghanistan in a reference to ceasefire announced by President Ashraf Ghani and the Taliban.

The three-day ceasefire came into force late Tuesday while Efforts were underway to convince the Taliban to extend ceasefire.

The army chief wrapped up his daylong visit after holding talks with President Ashraf Ghani, Chief Executive Abdullah Abdullah and Commander Resolute Support Mission General John Nicholson, the military said.

It was General Bajwa’s second visit to Kabul in nearly nine months. He last visited Kabul in October that paved the way for high level exchanges and ultimately both sides reached an agreement on a new bilateral dialogue mechanism codenamed Afghanistan-Pakistan Action Plan for Peace and Stability (APAPPS).

The Inter-Services Public Relations, the military’s media wing, said that the army chief had exclusive one-on-one meeting with Afghanistan followed by delegation-level discussions.

The discussions encompassed a wide range of issues, especially the ongoing efforts for reconciliation in Afghanistan, measures needed to check rise of Daesh and the issue of terrorists taking benefit of the porous border.

The army chief reiterated that it was the regions and not countries that develop for which peace and development remain quintessential. He said that after attaining relative peace and stability inside Pakistan, efforts are now focused towards socio-economic development as a route towards enduring peace and stability.

He said that the recently agreed APAPPS was expected to bring more cooperation and coordination between the two countries. Referring to border fencing, the COAS said that this is an obstacle for checking terrorism and not between people of both sides.

Afghan President thanked General Bajwa for his visit and recent security initiatives undertaken for peace and stability, the ISPR said.

The president shared contours of his vision about regional development, efforts to extend ongoing temporary ceasefire and steps related to creating conditions for reconciliation.

Ghani’s office in Kabul said that both sides held detailed discussions on the implementation of the APAPPS, fight against terrorism, prospects for Afghan-led and Afghan-owned negotiations and to reduce mistrust.

Presidential spokesman Shah Hussain Mutazavi told the media in Kabul that Afghan government was confident that Pakistan would “take serious steps” to implement the APAPPS.

Pakistan and Afghanistan had agreed to operationalize the APAPPS during the visit to Kabul by former prime minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi in April. The seven key principals of APAPPS call for action against irreconcilable elements and also to deny sanctuaries to fugitives in both countries.

Talking to the American Commander Nickolson, the army chief said that Pakistan desires that the US and NATO Forces must succeed and leave behind a peaceful and stable Afghanistan.

Earlier upon arrival at the Presidential Palace, the army chief was presented a guard of honour.

Foreign Secretary, ISI DG, Pakistan’s ambassador in Afghanistan and other senior officials accompanied the COAS while Afghan NSA and senior ministers, including NDS, joined Afghan delegation.

Published in Daily Times, June 13^th 2018.