Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has stressed that a peaceful and stable Afghanistan is in Pakistan’s interest, while calling for “concrete and verifiable” action against terrorist groups that Islamabad alleges are operating from Afghan territory.

Pakistan’s Prime Minister’s Office said Sharif made the remarks on Wednesday during a meeting with UN Secretary-General António Guterres in Islamabad.

The Pakistani prime minister expressed serious concern over what he described as “terrorism originating from Afghanistan.”

He said Pakistan wants a peaceful and stable Afghanistan, but stressed the need for concrete action against groups that Islamabad accuses of carrying out attacks from Afghan territory.

Separately, Guterres met with Pakistan army chief, Syed Asim Munir who also raised terrorism concerns.

The meetings come amid heightened tensions between Pakistan and Afghanistan, with Islamabad repeatedly accusing armed groups of using Afghan territory to launch attacks against Pakistan. Officials of the Islamic Emirate have repeatedly rejected the allegations and said Afghanistan’s territory will not be used against other countries.

Amir Khan Muttaqi, Minister of Foreign Affairs, met on Wednesday with Mohammad Reza Bahrami, a representative of Iran’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, on the sidelines of the eighth meeting of the Moscow Format and discussed ways to expand bilateral relations.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs said the two sides exchanged views on Afghanistan-Iran relations, regional developments, and ways to strengthen mutual cooperation between the two countries.

Muttaqi expressed appreciation for Iran’s engagement with Afghanistan and its constructive participation in regional meetings, emphasizing the need to further expand relations between Kabul and Tehran.

Meanwhile, Mohammad Reza Bahrami stressed the importance of relations between the two countries and shared Iran’s views on regional cooperation, stability, and expanding economic engagement between Afghanistan and Iran.

The UK Ministry of Defence identified material suggesting that British service personnel may have committed “serious offences” in Afghanistan, including possible murder, manslaughter and grievous bodily harm, a High Court hearing in London was told.

The information was referred by UK Special Forces (UKSF) to the Defence Serious Crime Command earlier this year, The Independent reported.

According to the court, any criminal investigation into the allegations has been paused pending the outcome of the Afghanistan Inquiry.

The inquiry, chaired by Lord Justice Haddon-Cave, is examining allegations that UK special forces unlawfully killed people during operations in Afghanistan between 2010 and 2013, as well as claims of a subsequent cover-up.

It is also investigating allegations of inadequate investigations by the Royal Military Police.

The latest court proceedings relate to a senior British soldier, identified only as Witness IIA126, who is challenging the inquiry’s decision to restrict his and his lawyers’ access to certain evidence.

His lawyer, Kate Grange KC, argued that the restrictions had prevented the soldier from reviewing evidence concerning an allegation that a person was shot in the head while possibly asleep during a “deliberate detention operation.”

The inquiry is opposing the legal challenge, arguing that the restrictions were necessary to protect the identities of witnesses whose evidence was considered highly sensitive.

Jonathan Glasson KC, representing the inquiry, told the court that the discovery of material potentially indicating serious offences did not mean that any particular individual would necessarily face criminal charges.

The inquiry is expected to continue its examination of the allegations, with a written judgment on the latest legal challenge due at a later date.