Pakistan, Afghanistan agree to combat terrorism

Islamabad [Pakistan]: Pakistan and Afghanistan have agreed to work together to counter terrorism in the region, Pakistan's Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) said.

The first Afghanistan-Pakistan Action Plan for Peace and Solidarity (APAPPS) meeting took place in Kabul on Sunday, wherein a 28-member delegation was led by Pakistan Foreign Secretary Tehmina Janjua, Geo TV reported.

The delegation also included representatives of foreign and interior ministries, railways, communications, Federal Board of Revenue, intelligence agencies and Pakistan Armed Forces.

From the Afghan side, deputy foreign ministry Hekmat Khalil led the delegation.
During the meeting, it was agreed that Islamabad and Kabul would jointly work on countering terrorism in the region, while an action plan was made to hold a dialogue on an institutional level, according to MOFA.

Last month, Pakistan Chief of Army Staff General Qamar Javed Bajwa stated that the APAPPS was expected to bolster mutual cooperation between Pakistan and Afghanistan.

The APAPPS provides a framework for strengthening mutual trust and deepening interaction in all spheres of bilateral engagements between both countries.

Relations between Pakistan and Afghanistan have remained frosty due to the latter's constant blame on Pakistan's non-cooperation on tackling terrorism and insurgency and also sending terrorists to Afghanistan for conducting suicide attacks over the years.

Pakistan has urged Afghanistan to stop the blame game and asked for its co-operation in combating terrorism.