Afghan, Pakistani army chiefs review border management, defence cooperation

Visiting Afghan Army Chief, General Sher Mohammad Karimi, and his Pakistani counterpart General Raheel Sharif on Friday discussed border management and defence cooperation amid growing military-to-military contacts, the military said.

The Afghan army chief arrived in Pakistan on a two-day visit for talks on bilateral security issues. It is his second visit to Pakistan in nearly four months. He last visited Pakistan in December just days after the Taliban attacked an army-run school in Peshawar and killed 150 people, most of whom were children.

Afghanistan has also arrested five suspects of the attack on the Army Public School on intelligence passed on by Pakistan.

The Afghan army chief visited the Pakistan military headquarters in Rawalpindi and held talks with his Pakistani counterpart on a wide-range of issues, the military said. "During the meeting, matters related to peace and stability in the region specially in Afghanistan, Pak-Afghan border management and measures to further enhance defence and training cooperation between both armies were discussed,"an army statement said.

General Karimi also laid floral wreath at"Yadgar-e-Shuhada"( martyrs monument) and offered prayers for those who sacrificed lives in war against militants.

Earlier, on arrival at General Headquarters, a smartly turned out contingent of Pakistan Army presented Guard of Honor to the dignitary.

The Afghan army chief will be the chief guest at the passing out parade of cadets at Pakistan's major academy at Kakul in northwestern Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province on Saturday and will address the parade.

A group of six Afghan army cadets are also receiving training at the Pakistan Military Academy.

Former President Hamid Karzai had refused to send army officers for training in Pakistan, however, his successor President Ashraf Ghani sent the first group in February this year in a sign of enhanced bilateral security cooperation. Endi