Turkey’s intelligence chief visits Islamabad after Kabul trip
Turkey’s intelligence chief Ibrahim Kalin has travelled from Afghanistan to Pakistan, with officials in the two countries stressing Ankara’s continued efforts to help ease tensions between Kabul and Islamabad through dialogue, Anadolu reported, citing security sources.
According to the report, Kalin met in Islamabad with Pakistan’s army chief Asim Munir, Inter-Services Intelligence chief Asim Malik and Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif. The meetings reviewed bilateral ties between Turkey and Pakistan, ways to expand cooperation between the two countries, and regional and global developments.
Anadolu said a major part of the talks focused on the security situation in the Middle East after the start of the US and Israeli war with Iran, rising tensions in the region, and the political, security and economic consequences for regional countries. The sources said the two sides also discussed the risk of the conflict spreading to other countries and areas.
The meetings also raised recent developments between Yemen and Saudi Arabia and the threats they pose to regional stability. The importance of the Mecca Joint Defence Agreement was also highlighted as one of the shared focal points for efforts aimed at restoring stability to the region.
Anadolu added that Turkish and Pakistani officials emphasised the role of the two countries in reducing tensions and keeping diplomatic channels open. The two sides also agreed to further strengthen high-level security and intelligence cooperation between them.
Turkey reiterated its support for Pakistan in the fight against terrorism and said it would continue to back efforts to strengthen Pakistan’s capacity in this area. In recent years, Turkey has sought to play a mediating role in some regional issues, including tensions between Afghanistan and Pakistan.
