Afghan, Pakistan officials meet in Kabul to talk differences

KABUL – Pakistani and Afghan officials have met for a second round of talks about allegations levelled against Islamabad in the wake of recent deadly militant attacks in Kabul that have killed over 200 people.

A joint statement after the day-long meeting in the Afghan capital said the two sides promised to keep talking.

After the recent attacks, Afghan President Ashraf Ghani’s government has insisted Pakistan’s failure to rout Taliban militants from safe havens on its soil is spurring the insurgency inside Afghanistan.

Kabul also accused Islamabad of harbouring the Taliban, who are allegedly being trained in Islamic seminaries in southwestern Pakistan.

Pakistan denies the charges.

Islamabad says Saturday’s meeting was part of a larger dialogue while the Afghans billed it as a response to their accusations against Islamabad.