Daily Times

Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi told the visiting Afghan parliamentary speaker that statements based on accusations could have a negative impact on the peace process and bilateral relations.

Qureshi was talking to Mir Rahman Rahmani, speaker of Afghanistan’s Wolesi Jirga (National Assembly) at the Foreign Ministry weeks after Pakistan summoned the Afghan ambassador to lodge a protest over anti-Pakistan statements by the Afghan leadership. Rahmani is in Islamabad to represent Afghanistan in the General Conference of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Economic Cooperation Organization (ECO) in Islamabad.

The Foreign Minister also underlined the need to utilize the available forums including Afghanistan-Pakistan Action Plan for Peace and Solidarity (APAPPS) to address all matters of bilateral interest.

Both countries had agreed on the principles of APAPPS to avoid blame-game and use the bilateral mechanism to address each other’s concerns.

In a shared vision issued during Prime Minister Imran Khan’s visit to Kabul in November Pakistan and Afghanistan had formed two groups – one on security cooperation and second about the peace process and there is a need to use these forums.

Daily Times has learnt that Pakistan has also informed friendly countries including the US and the UK about the recent statements by President Ashraf Ghani and his security adviser Hamdullah Mohib. Talking about the Afghan peace process, Foreign Minister Qureshi underlined the need to be vigilant about the role of “spoilers”, both within and outside Afghanistan, according to a foreign ministry’s statement. Qureshi stressed the importance of maintaining a constructive and conducive environment for advancing shared goals. He reaffirmed Pakistan’s support for a peaceful, stable, democratic, sovereign and prosperous Afghanistan. He underlined that strong fraternal ties with Afghanistan were based on centuries-old bonds and affinities between the people of the two countries. He stressed the need to deepen bilateral ties and underscored the importance of parliamentary interactions in this regard.

Qureshi highlighted Pakistan’s constructive efforts for facilitating the Afghan peace process. He reiterated Pakistan’s long-held view that there was no military solution to the Afghan conflict and that a negotiated political settlement was the only way forward.

The Foreign Minister underlined the imperative of reduction in violence leading to ceasefire. He expressed hope that the Afghan parties would seize this historic opportunity and work out an inclusive, broad-based and comprehensive political settlement for durable peace and stability in Afghanistan and the region. Qureshi emphasized Pakistan’s commitment to safe and dignified return of Afghan refugees to their homeland, in a time-bound and well-resourced roadmap, supported by the international community. The statement said that the Afghan parliamentary speaker lauded Pakistan’s efforts for AFghan peace.