Kabul To Host Large Meeting Of Afghan, Pakistani Clerics On Wednesday - Sources

KABUL (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 18th June, 2019) The Afghan capital of Kabul is expected to host one of the largest meetings of Pakistani and Afghan clerics on Wednesday as the governments of both nations are on their path to restore bilateral ties, sources told Sputnik on Tuesday.

Prominent clerics of the All Pakistan Ulema Council, a Muslim organization that includes Islamic clerics and legal scholars, will attend the gathering, according to the sources.

The Afghan government has refused to comment on the status of the gathering, which if held is thought to bring together at least one thousand clerics.

The meeting comes amid attempts of Afghanistan and Pakistan to improve relations that have been complicated for years due to Islamabad's alleged support for the Taliban movement.

"This is a political move by the Pakistani government to show Afghanistan [that] it is trying to push Taliban to hold direct peace talks with the Afghan government," Ahmad Khan Wardak, a Kabul-based analyst, told Sputnik.

The issue of possible improvement of ties between the two countries has been in spotlight after Afghanistan's Deputy Foreign Minister Idrees Zaman's paid a visit to Pakistan earlier in June, which was preceded by Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan inviting Afghan President Ashraf Ghani to visit his country.