Pentagon says that the US Secretary of Defence Lloyd Austin and Pakistan Chief of Army Staff Qamar Javed Bajwa had a telephonic conversation discussing the ongoing situation in Afghanistan amid an escalation of violence in the country.
In a press release, the Pentagon said the two also discussed “mutual goals of security and stability in the region”, along with the bilateral defence relationship and regional security and stability concerning Afghanistan.
During the call, Lloyd expressed ‘interest in continuing to improve the US-Pakistan relationship’ and building upon multiple shared interests in the region.
The call comes at a time when the Taliban are ravaging through Afghanistan, having captured six provincial capitals within a few days. All this occurs as the U.S military completes its exit from the region.
The U.S has also sent reinforcements in the form of B-52 bombers to deal with the insurgent group.
A Taliban spokesperson warned the US on Sunday against intervening in the region.
Calls for cooperation have not just come from the Army General. National Security Advisor Dr. Moeed Yusuf made a crucial trip to the U.S and said that the two countries need to work “more closely” following the situation in Afghanistan.
“No other nation can work on shared threats in the region other than Pakistan and the US, like instability in Afghanistan. However, Afghan soil was and still is being used against Pakistan which is a serious concern and needs to be stopped,” he said during a press conference in Washington.
