RAWALPINDI: Chief of Army Staff (COAS) General Qamar Javed Bajwa on Monday stressed on the urgency to swiftly devise an institutional mechanism for channeling humanitarian assistance to Afghanistan in order to avert a looming humanitarian catastrophe there.

The COAS said this during a meeting with Military Advisor to Minister of Defence, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA) Major General Talal Abdullah Al-Otaibi here at the General Headquarters, an Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) news release said.

The two sides discussed matters of mutual interest, regional security, current situation in Afghanistan and bilateral defence relations between the two countries. General Bajwa said Pakistan valued its historical and brotherly relations with the Kingdom and acknowledged its unique place in the Islamic world.

He underscored the importance of peace and reconciliation initiatives in Afghanistan. The visiting dignitary acknowledged the professionalism of Pakistan armed forces and vowed to enhance cooperation in various fields.