Pakistan's Defence Minister & Tajikistan's Ambassador Discuss Afghanistan

Pakistan's Defence Minister Khawaja Mohammad Asif and Tajikistan's ambassador to Islamabad Yusuf Sharifzoda discussed the "military, political, economic and social situation in Afghanistan".

Khwaja Mohammad Asif and Yusuf Sharifzoda said that the situation in Afghanistan directly affects the security of the region.

The details of the conversation have not been announced.

However, Tajikistan's state-run Eastern News Agency reported on Friday that a wide range of issues in Tajikistan-Pakistan relations were discussed, especially in the security and military sectors.

According to the report, Pakistan appreciated Tajikistan's efforts to promote peace and stability in Central Asia.

Tajikistan and Pakistan, which share a border with Afghanistan, have repeatedly expressed concern about terrorist threats from Afghanistan in the past three years.

Pakistani officials have repeatedly said that the TTP has a safe haven in Afghanistan and organises its attacks inside Pakistan from Afghan soil.

Mumtaz Zahra Baloch, spokesperson for Pakistan's Foreign Ministry, had said at a press conference in Islamabad that international reports show that the activities of the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) and other terrorist groups continue in Afghanistan.

Tajik President Emomali Rahmon had also warned that Afghanistan, especially in the northern provinces, had become a breeding ground for international terrorism.