Pak NSA to visit Kabul this week: Report

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Islamabad, Jan 17 (IANS) Pakistan's National Security Adviser (NSA) Moeed Yufuf will lead a high-level inter-ministerial delegation to Kabul on Tuesday for a two-day trip for talks on bilateral matters and a focus on Islamabads efforts to avert a humanitarian crisis in the war-torn nation, a media report said citing officials as saying.

"Yusuf is steering the Afghanistan Inter-Ministerial Coordination Cell (AICC) to channel Pakistan's humanitarian and economic assistance to Afghanistan in a manner that helps the Afghan interim authorities in combatting their key challenges while adhering to the requirements of the UN and international sanctions," the Dawn news report said late Sunday.

The informed officials said that the purpose of the visit is to ascertain Afghanistan's "humanitarian, economic and development needs".

The Dawn news report said the "main sectors of Pakistan's cooperation with Afghanistan include health, higher education, provision of humanitarian assistance, and enhancement of trade/business contacts".

Meanwhile, the Taliban-led government in Kabul is yet to confirm the visit which comes as tensions are simmering between the two countries over the Durand Line, the de-facto border between Afghanistan and Pakistan.

Pakistan maintains that the fencing of the 2,670 km long international border is pivotal to the country's border security and national interest as it would help curb the gateway of terrorists, who enter into the country from Afghanistan and carry out attacks in the country.

On the other hand, the Taliban leadership has been very clear with its position on the Durand line. It have never agreed to the very existence of the Durand line as they claim that the demarcation occupies Afghan land.

--IANS

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