Pakistan, July 8 -- Pakistan and Afghanistan held important talks in Islamabad on Monday to improve trade, transit, and regional security. These talks were the first under a new Additional Secretary-Level Mechanism. The initiative follows a visit by Pakistan's Deputy Prime Minister to Kabul in April. Both sides agreed to continue cooperation for peace and development.

Ambassador Syed Ali Asad Gillani led the Pakistani side. Mufti Noor Ahmad Noor headed the Afghan team. The talks focused on trade, connectivity, and stopping terrorism. Pakistan urged Afghanistan to act against terrorists using Afghan soil. Such threats harm Pakistan's security and slow regional progress.

Moreover, both sides reviewed steps taken to ease trade. These inclu...