Afghan President Hamid Karzai has held face-to-face talks with Sirajuddin Haqqani, leader of a particularly brutal militant group with ties to al-Qaida, Al Jazeera reported on Sunday…

Pakistan’s army chief and the head of the country’s intelligence services are thought to have accompanied Haqqani to the talks, sources told Al Jazeera. Pakistan’s intelligence and military officials have long been thought to foster close links with members of the Taliban and other militant groups working in Afghanistan.

The reports have fuelled speculation that Pakistan is trying to forge a deal that would safeguard its interests in Afghanistan, Al Jazeera’s Zeina Khodr said from Kabul.