ISLAMABAD: Adviser on Foreign Affairs Sartaj Aziz on Friday said that Pakistan had no favourites in Afghanistan and will follow the priorities for which elected government in Kabul determined for pursuing peace and reconciliation. Welcoming the deal between the National Unity Government (NUG) and the Hezb-e-Islami, Aziz said this agreement seems to have motivated and encouraged other groups to come to talks. These groups should realise that it is a different Afghanistan that wants peace and where the dominant majority would like to go back to the past, he added. He said this while speaking with the Pakistan-Afghanistan Joint Committee (PAJC) for Beyond Boundaries Phase II, a ‘Track I.5/II’ dialogue series undertaken by the Centre for Research and Security Studies (CRSS) in collaboration with Afghan counterpart, Women Peace and Security Organisation (WPSO) to foster better understanding and cooperation between civil society members of the two neighbouring countries. He said that Pakistan’s message to all the combatants was loud and clear; as nobody can capture Afghanistan on its own, and the key to peace lies in talks. “We desire that both the NUG and the Taliban should sort our issues among themselves and we will stand by them for any support we can lend to the process”, he said. He welcomed unanimity of approach on the peace process within Kabul and hoped it would encourage all parties to join the process, he added. Pakistan is doing whatever it can to persuade all Taliban factions to become part of the peace process and indications are that many of them are now interested in joining the process, Aziz said. The PAJC also met with retired army general and Abdul Qadir Baloch, Minister for States and Frontier Regions. Baloch said that Pakistan remains committed to safeguarding lives and assets of Afghans living in Pakistan adding that they are our ambassadors and we cannot afford to send them back with bitter feelings. He further said that bitter stories would empower only those who live off continued conflict adding that the prime minister himself was very upset with the news of harassment. Baloch lauded the efforts of the PAJC, and reiterated that dialogue and peace is the only way forward for the two countries; as there is no third option. The series brings together prominent journalists, civil society activists, former diplomats, parliamentarians, academicians, former members of law enforcement and scholars from both the countries, as part of the Pakistan-Afghanistan Joint Committee (PAJC) for Beyond Boundaries Phase-II. The Pakistani contingent comprised of Dr Shoaib Suddle, Maj Gen. (r) Ejaz Awan, Ambassador Mian Sanaullah, Muhammad Tahir, and MNA Shazia Marri, while the Afghan delegation comprised of Sayed Ishaq Gailani, Mozammil Shinwari, Wazhma Frogh, Palwasha Hassan, Ketabullah Khpolwak Sapai, and Elay Ershad, while the workshop was chaired by Dr Rasul Baksh Rais.