Pakistan, Afghanistan agree to use multiple channels to tackle terror groups

ASTANA - Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif and Afghan President Ashraf Ghani on Saturday agreed to use Quadrilateral Coordination Group (QCG) mechanism as well as bilateral channels to act against terror groups and to develop, through mutual consultations, a mechanism to monitor and verify such actions, APP reported.

The matter was discussed in a meeting between Prime Minister Muhammad Nawaz Sharif and Afghan President Ashraf Ghani, on the sidelines of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) Summit in Astana on Friday, said a Foreign Office statement.

“Prime Minister Sharif joined President Ghani in condemning the recent terror attacks, especially the wave of violence in Kabul following a truck bomber in [the] centre of the city last week resulting in loss of life and injury of hundreds of people.” the FO statement read.

The prime minister said that Pakistan remained committed to peace and stability in Afghanistan.

"Pakistan's efforts for peace, stability and economic progress of Afghanistan are a matter of its commitment to the brotherly people of Afghanistan, millions of who have been hosted in Pakistan for past 37 years," he remarked.

He said that terrorism remained a common threat to both Pakistan and Afghanistan.

Relations between the two countries have been on a low note recently, with both sides accusing each other of harbouring terrorists. Afghan President Ghani had recently accused Pakistan of waging ‘undeclared war of aggression’ against Afghanistan.

On Friday, the presidents of the SCO member-states – China, Russia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan – signed a document granting Pakistan and India membership at the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) summit, expanding the regional security grouping into South Asia.