ISLAMABAD - Chief of Army Staff (COAS) General Qamar Javed Bajwa visited Kabul, Afghanistan, for a day long official visit on Monday.

According to a press release issued by the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) Directorate, Pak Army Chief held meeting with President of Afghanistan Ashraf Ghani. General Sir Nicholas Patrick Carter, Chief of the Defence Staff UK was also present during the meeting.

“Matters of mutual interest, current developments in Afghan peace process, enhanced bilateral security and defence cooperation and need for effective border management between the two brotherly countries were discussed,” the ISPR said.

COAS reiterated that a peaceful Afghanistan means a peaceful region in general and a peaceful Pakistan in particular. “We will always support ‘Afghan led-Afghan Owned’ Peace Process based on mutual consensus of all stakeholders,” ISPR quoted COAS Gen Bajwa as saying.

Afghan President thanked COAS for a meaningful discussion and appreciated Pakistan’s sincere and positive role in Afghan Peace Process.

Later, COAS also called on Chairman of the High Council for National Reconciliation of Afghanistan Dr Abdullah Abdullah and discussed matters related to Afghan Peace Process. Lieutenant General Faiz Hamid, Director General Inter Services Intelligence, accompanied COAS during the visit.

General Qamar Javed Bajwa’s visit to Kabul comes at a time when NATO and US have started withdrawing troops from the landlocked country under the Doha agreement signed between Washington and Taliban. Amid this pullout, violence has escalated in the country in recent weeks.

Pakistan is the main facilitator of the Afghan peace process to resolve the 20-year-long conflict that started with the overthrowing of Taliban government in Afghanistan following attacks of Islamic militants in US in September 11, 2001.

Recently, US and other Western countries acknowledged Pakistan’s role to push the Afghan Taliban to take part in the peace process.

Under the Washington-Taliban peace agreement, US and other forces had to withdraw by May 1 this year. But last month, US President Joe Biden while citing the security reasons had said that some troops would stay in the war-torn country until September 11, 2021 — the 20th anniversary of the 9/11 attacks.

Talban have termed the statement as violation of the peace agreement. US now wants from Taliban to agree to an extension of the agreement and they take part in the peace talks planned in Turkey. The Taliban on last weekend had announced a three-day ceasefire in Afghanistan on the eve of Eid-ul-Fitr.