ISLAMABAD, Jan 27: A high-level delegation of Afghanistan led by Defence Minister Gen Bismillah Khan Mohammadi arrived here on Sunday on a five-day visit during which it would hold meetings with both the military and political leadership of Pakistan.

The delegation was received by Inspector General of Training and Development Lt-Gen Raheel Sharif.

Military sources believe the visit will help the two countries build bridges for a trustworthy and sustained bilateral relationship both in military and political areas.

“With the Americans set to leave Afghanistan by the end of next year, and the Indians despite their best efforts having failed to create a space within the war-torn country for themselves, such a high-level meeting bodes well for the two neighboring countries,” said a military official.

After a lot of back and forth movement to have good, friendly and mutually beneficial ties, Pakistan and Afghanistan appeared to have reached the conclusion that the only way forward was to build partnership, he said.

The official said that besides a recent meeting between the directors general of military operations of the two countries, senior military and other law-enforcement agencies deployed on both sides of the border were in regular contact.

“In the near past, the head of Afghan border police was taken on a Pakistani helicopter to have an aerial view of our side of the border which helped improve better coordination between the two countries,” he said.

The two countries have been accusing each other of lacking vigilance against Taliban movement across the border. The military official said there was a lot of optimism about the visit that would further strengthen the bilateral ties in coming days.