According to ISPR spokesperson Major General Asif Ghafoor, the Army Chief along with a high-level delegation including Foreign Secretary Tehmina Janjua, DG ISI Lieutenant-General Naveed Mukhtar, Pakistan Ambassador to Afghanistan Zahid Nasrullah Khan and other senior officials held discussions with Afghan leadership and the RSM General in a daylong visit held on the invitation of the Afghan President. Afghan National Security Adviser Hanif Atmar and senior ministers including NDS officials joined Afghan delegation.
During the visit, he said that the CoAS had exclusive one-on-one meeting with Afghanistan President Ashraf Ghani followed by delegation level discussions.
"The discussions encompassed wide range of issues, especially the ongoing efforts for reconciliation in Afghanistan, measures needed to check rise of ISIS and the issue of terrorists taking benefit of the porous border to indulge in terrorism, smuggling and drug trafficking, being often networked together," the ISPR spokesperson said.
He said that the CoAS congratulated Afghan authorities on recent peace initiatives, especially in respect of the holy month of Ramazan/ Eid and wished that these steps gain more of permanence ultimately leading towards an enduring peace.
"The Army Chief reiterated that it is the regions and not countries that develop for which peace and development remains quintessential," the spokesperson said, adding that the CoAS further said that having attained 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 CoAS further said that recently agreed Afghanistan Pakistan Action Plan for Peace and Stability (APAPPS) is 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, the spokesperson added.
According to him, the Afghan President thanked the CoAS for his visit and recent security initiatives undertaken for peace and stability.
"The President shared contours of his vision about regional development, efforts to extend ongoing temporary ceasefire and steps related to creating conditions for reconciliation," he added.
The Chief Executive also thanked the CoAS for his visit and APAPPS initiative.
"Both sides agreed that while results of the bilateral initiatives are extremely important but even more important is the continuity of the processes to achieve the end state objectives," Major General Ghafoor said.
Talking to the Commander RSM, he said that the CoAS said that Pakistan desires that the US/ Nato forces must succeed and leave behind a peaceful and stable Afghanistan.
Earlier, upon arrival at the presidential palace, the CoAS was presented a guard of honor.
The visit held in the backdrop of June 06 telephone call by US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo to Army Chief General Qamar Javed Bajwa during which, according to State Department's statement, the two leaders discussed "ways to advance US-Pakistan bilateral relations, the need for political reconciliation in Afghanistan and the importance of targeting all militant and terrorist groups in South Asia without distinction."
"The Army Chief left for Kabul to meet President Ashraf Ghani on his invitation. Pakistan wishes to see National Unity Government and US/Nato succeeding to bring peace in Afghanistan," the ISPR spokesperson earlier said in a tweet which he also tweeted in Pashto, Afghanistan's national language.
The visit is also important after the Afghan Taliban for the first time responded positively to President Ashraf Ghani's ceasefire on the occasion of Eid-ul-Fitr until June 20.
Pakistan welcomed the development and also reiterated its support to the peace initiatives. "We particularly support all Afghan-owned and Afghan-led efforts aimed at bringing peace and stability to Afghanistan...We also wish our Afghan brothers and sisters a peaceful and blessed month of Ramazan and a happy Eid," said Foreign Office Spokesperson Dr Mohammad Faisal.
It was earlier reported that Pakistan and China have played a key role in brokering the ceasefire deal between the Afghan government and the Taliban on Eid and the Army Chief's visit took place to further on the temporary ceasefire towards a larger ceasefire- Kabul's desire for resumption of crucial Afghan reconciliation process.
"Both China and Pakistan have shared interest in restoration of peace in Afghanistan," said a senior Foreign Office official, adding that China has a huge investment while peace in Afghanistan is imperative for peace in Pakistan.
On February 28, 2018, President Ghani urged Taliban to join peace talks, promising that the unity government would recognize the group and give their leaders an office in Kabul, a bold offer which Taliban never responded.
The Taliban were again asked to attend Tashkent Conference on Afghan peace process held on March 27, 2018, but the Taliban again rejected to take part in the peace initiative.