WASHINGTON: Bilateral defence ties and cooperation towards stability in Afghanistan are likely to be major subjects of discussion when top Pakistani and American military officers meet amid improving relations between the two countries.

Chief of the Army Staff (COAS) General Raheel Sharif, during his first visit to the United States staring on Sunday, will meet Chairman Joint Chiefs Staff General Martin Dempsey and Centcom leaders at a time of growing convergences of views between Pakistan and the United States.

Officials say Gen Raheel's meetings with US counterparts will provide an opportunity to enhance bilateral military-to-military cooperation.

Also read: Army chief to visit US next month for talks on strategic issues

The United States has acknowledged the efficacy of Pakistan's massive operation against militants in their former stronghold North Waziristan, with both American military leaders and experts saying the Pakistani offensive along the Afghan border has disrupted the Haqqani network – a development that has had a positive bearing on the security situation in Afghanistan.

Lisa Curtis, a South Asian expert at the Heritage Foundation, told Voice of America's Urdu Service that the Pakistani operation in North Waziristan had disrupted the Afghan militants and weakened their ability to launch attacks inside Afghanistan.

According to US media reports, Pakistani and Afghan efforts to repair the ties, the effectiveness of Zarb-i-Azb operation and upward trajectory of Pakistan-US relations have helped set an environment of optimism and trust.

Read more: US hopeful of improving ties with Pak military

Pakistan's counter-terrorism efforts are also likely to figure in talks between the military leaders.

Meanwhile, new Afghan President Ashraf Ghani has also visited Islamabad for talks with Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif.

Washington has welcomed the opportunity for the two neighbouring countries to forge a better relationship.

“We welcome the prospect of improved cooperation between Afghanistan and Pakistan, and certainly, a trip there, a visit, an opportunity to have a dialogue is a good opportunity for that,” State Department spokesperson Jen Psaki said Friday.

At the Pentagon, commenting on Islamabad's offer to train Afghan security forces in Pakistan, spokesman Rear Admiral John Kirby described Pakistan a key partner in the region.

“Pakistan's a key partner in the region. Any opportunity that can be had to increase cooperation and coordination with the Pakistani military is a good thing,” he said at a recent briefing.

Additionally, both Pakistan and the United States see recent escalations on the eastern border with India and the Line of Control in Kashmir as a distraction in Islamabad's high-stakes counter-terrorism offensive along the western border with Afghanistan.

The Pakistani offensive has assumed greater importance in view of the ongoing security and political transitions in Afghanistan with the drawdown of American and international troops from the landlocked country.

The recent Pakistani-Indian tensions in the disputed Kashmir region may also come up for discussion in General Raheel's meetings.

‘Haqqani network sanctuary is thing of the past’

Pakistan has ruled out any discrimination in its ongoing operation against militants in North Waziristan, with a military spokesman stressing that the Afghan Haqqani network having a sanctuary on the Pakistani side of the Afghan border “is a thing of the past”.

“We're against terrorists, we didn't care about their human colour. This include all nationalities and all groups,” Major General Asim Bajwa said.

In interviews with Voice of America's Urdu and Pashto services, Director General ISPR Bajwa said the Zarb-i-Azb offensive has eliminated hundreds of terrorists and the Pakistani forces are now engaged in clearing peripheral areas of the tribal territory as well.

“The Haqqani network is history now. This is a thing of the past.”

When asked about safe havens of the Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) commanders including Mullah Fazalullah in Afghanistan, Bajwa said Pakistani and Afghan leaders regularly discuss these issues. He said Pakistan shared the information with Kabul about the TTP militant leaders operating from the Afghan soil in the past, but no action was taken.

The issue over TTP sanctuaries on the Afghan soil may also feature in wide-ranging security talks between American military leaders and General Raheel Sharif, who is the first Pakistani army chief to visit the United States since 2010.

Meanwhile, a top American diplomat has acknowledged that there should be no militant safe havens on either side of Pakistan-Afghanistan border.

“We've always been honest about the fact that the US and Pakistan have a common enemy in extremism and a common fight – make sure there are no safe heavens on either side of the border – Pakistani people are the ones most impacted by extremism and so greatly value the contributions that have been made in terms of lives and resources dedicated here – all acknowledge more has to be done and continue to work with Pakistan to help eradicate extremist threats,” US Special Representative for Afghanistan and Pakistan Dan Feldman told VOA's Deewa service.

According to a transcript of Feldman's remarks provided by the Pashto language service, the official said the US looks forward to discussing security ties with General Sharif, and noted that the United States has strong civilian and military relationship with Pakistan.

“We really commend the operation and been very significant in countering terrorism and just want to ensure that all extremists are equally targeted – what we need to make sure is that they don't have the ability to reconstitute in Pakistan or in Afghanistan and cause a continued threat to American lives and our partners Afghan lives and for Pakistani lives.”

“Pakistanis have suffered so much at the hands of extremism over the last few years 55,000 Pakistani deaths and it's unconscionable and make sure we work together to address this common threat.”

Military Spokesman Gen Asim Bajwa told the broadcast service that no timeline has been set for conclusion of the military operation in Waziristan that started in June this year, and is progressing as planned.