Top Pakistani official travels to Afghanistan

Pakistan’s intelligence chief made a trip to Afghanistan’s capital on Saturday, according to two country officials who spoke to The Associated Press on the condition of anonymity. 

Pakistani Gen. Faiez Hameed reportedly met with Taliban leadership during his trip, but it was not made clear at the time what was discussed.

According to the AP, the Pakistani intelligence service holds the greatest amount of outside influence when it comes to the Taliban. Leaders of the Taliban have previously located their headquarters in Pakistan and kept in contact with the country’s Inter-Services Intelligence agency.

Both the U.S. and former Afghan government have accused Pakistan of providing the Taliban with military aid in the past, but the country has repeatedly denied it, the AP noted.

India’s ambassador to Qatar held a formal meeting with the Taliban early last week, discussing the safe return of Indian nationals to their homes.

At the time, India had faced criticism for not communicating with the Taliban after the country invested over $3 billion in Afghanistan.

“India is very important for the region and we want trade and economic relations with it. We expect the relationship will continue like before,” Sher Mohammad Abbas Stanekzai, the head of the Taliban’s Political Office in Dohasaid, said then.