National Security Adviser Moeed Yusuf on Saturday discussed ways to boost the relationship with Afghanistan in order to promote trade and connectivity with Afghanistan's Acting Deputy Prime Minister Mullah Abdus Salam Hanafi as part of his engagements with the interim leadership.

Earlier in the day, the NSA, leading an inter-ministerial delegation, has arrived at the Hamid Karzai International Airport in Kabul. He was welcomed by Acting Afghanistan Minister for Commerce and Industry Nooruddin Azizi upon his arrival at the airport. Senior officials, including Pakistan’s Special Representative for Afghanistan Mohammad Sadiq, were also part of the team.

The development was shared by Pakistan Ambassador to Afghanistan Mansoor Ahmad Khan in a series of tweets.

“The NSA had a productive meeting with Afghanistan’s [Acting] Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi to kick off the visit. [He] will have multiple official meetings to strengthen humanitarian and economic engagement,” the envoy said.

NSA Yusuf also called on Afghan Acting Deputy Prime Minister Mullah Abdus Salam Hanafi. “He discussed strengthening of Pakistan-Afghanistan brotherly relations to promote trade, transit, connectivity. Afghan Deputy PM hosted lunch for Pak delegation,” it read.

Yusuf was earlier scheduled to travel to Kabul on January 18 for a two-day visit but the trip was delayed because of bad weather, according to media reports, adding that the NSA is steering the Afghanistan Inter-Ministerial Coordination Cell to channel Pakistan’s humanitarian and economic assistance to Afghanistan.