Afghan national security adviser arrives in Pakistan

ISLAMABAD: Afghanistan's national security adviser Dr Rangin Dadfar Spanta arrived in Islamabad on Thursday, according to a report on the state-owned Radio Pakistan website. Spanta will hold talks with Pakistan's Adviser to Prime Minister on National Security and Foreign Affairs Sartaj Aziz on ensuring deeper bilateral security cooperation. Spanta is one of the most influential people in the Afghan government and had served as the country's foreign minister prior to becoming the national security advisor to President Hamid Karzai. The former foreign minister will also call on Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif. His visit comes as Pakistan is engaged in a comprehensive operation against foreign and local terrorists who were hiding in sanctuaries in North Waziristan tribal region, a week after the brazen insurgent attack on the country's busiest airport in Karachi. Pakistan had requested Afghanistan for support during the operation and asked the country not to shelter militants fleeing the region. Subsequently Afghan President Hamid Karzai telephoned Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif on Thursday and vowed to enhance security cooperation between the two countries. Also Pakistan'sForeign Office spokesperson Tasneem Aslam had confirmed at a weekly briefing that Afghanistan had assured its full support to Operation Zarb-i-Azb.