Pak, Afghan to continue talks on joint action plan

Islamabad and Kabul have decided to continue holding discussions to reach an agreement on the entire Afghanistan-Pakistan Action Plan for Peace and Solidarity (APAPPS).

A joint statement read: "The meeting was held in a cordial environment and both delegations made some progress on the APAPPS", reported the Dawn.

"An Afghan delegation held talks with Pakistani leadership in Islamabad on security cooperation amid the highly volatile security situation in their country. Foreign Secretary Tehmina Janjua led the Pakistani delegation at the talks while Afghan Deputy Foreign Minister Hekmat Khalil Karzai was leading the Afghan side," it reported.

The meeting comes in the backdrop of a series of deadly attacks in Afghanistan allegedly by Pakistan.

Kabul has also accused Islamabad of harbouring the Taliban.

In a televised speech to the nation, Afghan President Ashraf Ghani recently alleged that the "centre of Taliban terrorism is in Pakistan" and demanded that authorities in the neighbouring country "show some concrete action to rid their territory of insurgents."

After the three major militant attacks that took place in Kabul in the past two weeks, the pressure on the country's government has intensified to beef up the security.

The APAPPS is a joint action plan for cooperation in the areas of counter-terrorism and reduction of violence, peace and reconciliation, refugees repatriation and joint economic development.