Pakistan on Saturday congratulated the people and the government of Afghanistan on successful holding of the fourth presidential elections. In a statement on Saturday, the Foreign Office spokesperson said the people of Afghanistan particularly deserve appreciation for their clear decision to continue with the democratic course despite serious hurdles and challenges. “We sincerely hope that the new government elected through a free, fair and transparent voting process will enjoy the full mandate to take the stalled peace process forward. This is important for ending the 18-year-old conflict through an inclusive, Afghan-led and Afghan-owned negotiated political settlement,” he said. “Pakistan will continue to facilitate the new Afghan government towards this end,” he added.
The spokesperson said Pakistan wants to see a strong, independent, peaceful and prosperous Afghanistan as key to regional peace and stability. “Pakistan and Afghanistan enjoy a broad and deep relationship and both countries need to work in close coordination for mutual benefits of their two peoples,” he concluded. Afghans voted in presidential elections amid tight security on Saturday, even as insurgents attacked polling centres in a series of blasts and clashes across the country that left at least two people dead.
The first-round vote marks the culmination of a bloody election campaign that despite a large field of candidates is seen as a close race between President Ashraf Ghani and his bitter rival Abdullah Abdullah, the country’s chief executive. Wary authorities placed an uneasy Kabul under partial lockdown, flooding streets with troops and banning trucks from entering the city in an effort to stop would-be suicide bombers targeting residents as they cast their votes.