Ghani invites Abbasi to visit Afghanistan

Afghanistan President Ashraf Ghani on Saturday invited Pakistan Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi to visit Afghanistan, in what was seen as an effort by Kabul to normalise its icy relations with Islamabad.

President Ghani took to Twitter and wrote, "Today, I received Pakistani NSA at Dilkusha palace. As a follow up to Kabul Process, I have extended an official invitation to Pakistani Prime Minister to visit Afghanistan. This is to initiate state to state comprehensive dialogue."

This comes as Pakistan National Security Advisor (NSA) Nasser Khan Janjua is on a day-long visit to Kabul, TOLOnews reported.

According to a statement released by Ghani's Presidential Palace, "the two sides also discussed the importance of connection and regional cooperation between the two countries in a campaign against crime and activities of terrorist networks. They also discussed ways to stop these activities from happening."

Relations between Kabul and Islamabad have remained frosty due to the terrorist activities of the Taliban and Haqqani Network carried out in the former's land. Afghanistan contests that the two groups are supported by Pakistan and it does very little to stop them.

Pakistan has urged Afghanistan to stop the blame game and asked for its co-operation in combating terrorism.

Last month, the Afghan President had made a peace offer to the Taliban group in the Kabul Process Conference, which also included the recognition of the militant group as a political entity.

However, the group is yet to respond to President Ghani's offer.