Pak ISI chief hosts security meeting of intel head of regional countries on Afghanistan

Islamabad, Sep 11: Pakistan’s ISI chief on Saturday hosted a key security meeting of intelligence heads of regional countries, including China, on the evolving situation in Afghanistan, according to media reports.

Lieutenant General Faiz Hameed, the Director-General of Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI), discussed the issue of Afghanistan with intelligence heads of China, Iran, Uzbekistan, Tajikistan and Turkmenistan here,The Express Tribune reported.

Although there was no official confirmation from any side, sources confirmed that the Director General of ISI discussed the situation in Afghanistan and how to cooperate for ensuring peace and stability. However, there was lack of information about the countries attending the rare moot.

The Pakistan Observer newspaper reported that intelligence chiefs of Russia, China, Iran, Tajikistan, Kazakhstan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan attended the meeting.

Geo TV reported that chiefs of intelligence agencies of Russia, China, Iran, Tajikistan, Kazakhstan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan took part in the meeting. However, Dunya News TV reported that only intelligence chiefs of China, Russia, Iran and Tajikistan attended the meeting.

“They discussed the ongoing security situation in Afghanistan during the meeting,” the channel quoted the sources as saying. But all news outlets agreed that the participants of the meeting exchanged views on the measures needed for lasting peace and stability in the region.

So far, there was no official confirmation about the meeting and the countries attending it.

The ISI chief visited Afghanistan recently where he met the Afghan leadership in Kabul and discussed different issues. Days after the visit, the Taliban announced their interim government.