KABUL (SW) – Officials of the Islamic Emirate believe the recent trip to Kabul by Pakistan’s National Security Adviser was a positive development.
Moeed Yusuf, NSA of Pakistan, arrived in Kabul yesterday on an official visit. He met with Abdul Salam Hanafi, Deputy Prime Minister of the Islamic Emirate, Amir Khan Muttaqi, Acting Minister of Foreign Affairs and a number of other officials of the Islamic Emirate.
During the meetings, humanitarian aid, the development of economic relations and a number of other important issues were discussed, according to the official sources.
Bilal Karimi, a deputy spokesman for the Islamic Emirate, told Salam Watandar that during the visit, the Pakistani delegation discussed problems regarding the Durand Line, the situation of Afghan refugees in Pakistan, transit facilities between the two countries and other issues.
He called the visit of Pakistan’s national security adviser to Kabul as a promising development.
On the other hand, a number of political experts, referring to the visit of Pakistan’s National Security Adviser to Kabul, say that similar trips have been made between the two countries to strengthen bilateral relations in the past as well. They believe that Pakistan is pursuing a dual policy towards Afghanistan and is not honest in this regard.
A high-level inter-ministerial delegation by Pakistan led by National Security Adviser (NSA) Moeed Yusuf arrived in Kabul on Saturday.
The NSA and his delegation were received by Nooruddin Azizi, the acting minister for commerce and industry, at Hamid Karzai International Airport, according to the Pakistan Embassy. Senior officials, including Pakistan’s Special Representative for Afghanistan Mohammad Sadiq, were also part of the delegation.
Pakistan Ambassador to Afghanistan Mansoor Ahmad Khan said the NSA had a “productive meeting” with Afghanistan’s Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi to kick off the visit. “[He] will have multiple official meetings to strengthen humanitarian and economic engagement,” he tweeted.
Yusuf was earlier scheduled to travel to Kabul on January 18 for a two-day visit but the trip was delayed due to bad weather.
Pakistan’s daily Dawn reported that the NSA is steering the Afghanistan Inter-Ministerial Coordination Cell (AICC) to channel Pakistan’s humanitarian and economic assistance to Afghanistan in a manner that helps the Afghan interim authorities in combatting their key challenges while adhering to the requirements of the UN and international sanctions.
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