RAWALPINDI: Chief of the Army Staff Gen Qamar Javed Bajwa has said that peace in Afghanistan is a shared interest and Pakis­tan is ready to work closely with Afghanistan.

This he said during his meetings with senior British and US political and military officials in London on Monday.

Gen Bajwa, who is on an official visit to the United Kingdom, was received by Chief of General Staff, Gen Sir Nick Carter, upon arrival at the ministry of defence. He was given a guard of honour at the Horse Guards Square, an Inter-Services Public Rela­tions statement said.

The COAS had separate meetings with the British Chief of Defence Staff, Air Chief Marshal Sir Stuart Peach; Special Represen­tative on Afghanistan and Pakistan Owen Jenkins, and US Resolute Support Mission (RSM) Commander Gen John Nicholson.

Matters of mutual interest, including regional geopolitical environment with particular reference to Afghanistan, came under discussion.

The UK leadership and RSM commander appreciated and acknowledged the positive role being played by Pakistan and its army towards peace and stability.

Pakistan, Gen Bajwa said, is a peace-loving country and would continue to play its positive role in bringing enduring stability to the region.

He emphasised that peace in Afghanistan was a shared interest, adding that Pakistan would continue its positive role and was ready to work closely with Afghanistan.

The army chief said that Pakistan-Afghanistan bilateral border security mechanism was critically important and both countries needed to formulate this on priority.

He shared with his interlocutors various border control and management measures that Pakistan had undertaken and stressed the need for similar measures on the other side of the border to defeat common enemy.

The COAS highlighted that the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor should be viewed as an economic manoeuvre since it aims at fostering inclusive development in the best interest of the region and beyond.

He thanked the UK leadership for their assistance during war on terror.

Published in Dawn, April 4th, 2017