CEO, Pakistan president discuss ceasefire, trade ties

KABUL President Mamnoon Hussain, Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Dr. Abdullah will pay an official visit to Islamabad.

The two leaders discussed a recent truce and the peace process at their meeting in Tajikistan on Wednesday, the CEO advisor Faridoon Khwazoon told Pajhwok Afghan News.

He said the CEO was in Dushanbe to attend the International Conference on Water for Sustainable Development.  Political, economic, trade ties and the recent Eid ceasefire came up for discussion.

Hussain welcomed the truce during Eid and hailed it as a significant step toward peace in Afghanistan. He reiterated his country’s support for the Afghan-owned peace process.

Abdullah urged Pakistan to take serious steps against the Afghan Taliban and other insurgent groups on its soil. The CEO commended Pakistan’s efforts to expand trade with Afghanistan.

The Pakistani head of state extended an invitation to the CEO to visit Islamabad. Abdullah accepted it, the state-run news agency APP reported.

Since peace and stability in Afghanistan was vital to regional development, Hussain said, his country was working with the neighbour to achieve the objective.

High-level contacts between Pakistan and Afghanistan were important, the president believed, promising his government would fully cooperate with Kabul on issues of common interest.

sa/mud