Gen Bajwa meets Ghani, Abdullah during Kabul visit

Ag Agencies

KABUL/RAWALPINDI: Chief of Army Staff (COAS) Gen Qamar Javed Bajwa, in his meeting with Afghan President Ashraf Ghani on Monday, reaffirmed Pakistan’s support to “Afghan-led-Afghan-owned” peace process based on the mutual consensus of all stakeholders.

A peaceful Afghanistan meant a peaceful region in general and a peaceful Pakistan in particular, said Gen Bajwa, who arrived in Kabul on a day-long visit, the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) said in a statement. “We will always support ‘Afghan-led-Afghan-owned’ peace process based on mutual consensus of all stakeholders,” the COAS said. President Ghani appreciated Pakistan’s sincere and positive role in the Afghan peace process.

Matters of mutual interest, current developments in the Afghan peace process, enhanced bilateral security and defence cooperation, and the need for effective border management between the two brotherly countries were discussed during the meeting, the ISPR said. Director General Inter-Services Intelligence Lt-Gen Faiz Hameed accompanied the Army chief during the visit.

Later, Gen Bajwa also called on Chairman of the High Council for National Reconciliation of Afghanistan Dr Abdullah Abdullah and discussed matters related to the Afghan peace process.

Earlier in the day, Gen Bajwa met Britain’s Chief of Defence Staff General Nicholas Patrick Carter at General Headquarters in Rawalpindi. According to the ISPR, matters of mutual interests and regional security situation came under discussion during the meeting. Progress on Afghan reconciliation process was discussed, besides measures to further enhance bilateral and defence cooperation were also discussed. The visiting dignitary appreciated Pakistan’s sincere efforts for peace and stability in the region, especially the Afghan peace process. The British general also appreciated Pakistan’s efforts for peace in the region. On the occasion, the COAS offered his condolences on the sad demise of Prince Philip, the Duke of Edinburgh, saying the world has lost a highly respected friend. Gen Bajwa said Pakistan Army greatly values its friendly relations with the UK.

Meanwhile, the Taliban and Afghan government on Monday declared a three-day ceasefire for this week’s Eid al-Fitr holiday, following a sharp spike in violence as Washington goes about withdrawing its remaining troops from Afghanistan.

Violence has soared since May 1 — the deadline missed by the United States to withdraw the last of its troops—and while the Taliban have avoided engaging American forces, attacks against government and civilian targets have not stopped.

In the latest, the interior ministry said on Monday that at least 11 people were killed by a bomb that struck a bus overnight in southeastern Zabul province.

That followed Saturday’s carnage outside a school in the capital Kabul when a series of bombs killed at least 50 people and wounded more than 100 — most of them young girls.

Early Monday, the Taliban instructed their fighters “to halt all offensive operations against the enemy countrywide from the first till the third day of Eid”. That was matched later in the day by Afghan President Ashraf Ghani, who went further by urging the Taliban to announce a permanent truce to end the bloody war.

The Taliban and government have declared similar ceasefires in the past to mark Islamic holidays.