Daily Times

Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi Saturday, while calling the US-Taliban peace agreement a historic opportunity, underlined that progress in the intra-Afghan negotiations will help reduce violence and lead to ceasefire.

Qureshi, who met visiting Speaker of Afghanistan’s Wolesi Jirga Mir Rahman Rahmani, cautioned against the role of ‘spoilers’ who do not wish to see peace and stability return to Afghanistan or are averse to strong Pakistan-Afghanistan relations.

Welcoming the visiting dignitary, the foreign minister highlighted the importance Pakistan attaches to its fraternal relations with Afghanistan. He emphasized the importance of inter-parliamentary cooperation between the two countries, with increased interaction through the respective parliamentary friendship groups as well as between women parliamentarians on both sides.

The foreign minister reaffirmed Pakistan’s support for a peaceful, stable and prosperous Afghanistan and highlighted Pakistan’s positive contribution to the Afghan peace process. He stressed that after the Afghans themselves, no other country has a greater stake in lasting peace in Afghanistan than Pakistan. He noted that Prime Minister Imran Khan has repeatedly underlined that there is no military solution to the conflict in Afghanistan and that a political solution is the only way forward.

He viewed that the US-Taliban peace agreement has provided a historic opportunity for the Afghan leaders to now work together and secure an inclusive, broad-based and comprehensive political settlement.

On the bilateral relations, the foreign minister stressed the importance of Afghanistan-Pakistan Action Plan for Peace and Solidarity (APAPPS), noting that the mechanism provides the best platform to address all relevant issues. He underscored that enormous synergies and complementarities exist in trade and economic fields between the two countries which should be optimally utilized. He said a new visa regime has been implemented for Afghan nationals which would facilitate people-to-people links. Rahmani, accompanied by a high-level delegation, is on a three-day bilateral visit from October, 23 to 25. He will also participate in ‘Pakistan-Afghanistan Trade and Investment Forum 2020 – Partnership for Mutual Benefit’ seminar in Islamabad on October 26-27.