ISLAMABAD: Pakistan and Afghanistan on Sa­turday reiterated the desire to coordinate counterterrorism operations, said the Foreign Office (FO).

According to the FO, a meeting was held between Foreign Secretary Tehmina Janjua and visiting Afghan Deputy Foreign Minister Nasir Andesha to discuss counterterrorism efforts.

Mr Andesha is visiting Pakistan to participate in Afghan Independence Day celebrations at the embassy and to attend the foundation stone-laying ceremony of the new Afghan embassy complex in the Diplomatic Enclave in Islamabad.

Afghan Ambassador Dr Omar Zakhilwal said the embassy complex, once completed, would be the largest Afghan embassy building in the world.

“Recognising that terrorism was a common enemy of the two countries and its people, the foreign secretary and the Afghan deputy foreign minister agreed to deepen cooperation and coordination in counterterrorism efforts with a view to eliminating the menace,” the FO said.

Bilateral engagement between Pakistan and Afghanistan has intensified over the past few weeks giving an impression of improvement in relations that have remained frozen over terrorism concerns and border disputes.

Earlier this week, Ms Janjua visited Kabul for political consultations. On the occasion, both sides agreed that terrorism was a common challenge and there was a need to streng­then institutional cooperation between the two countries to eliminate the problem.

Published in Dawn, August 20th, 2017