Daily Times

ISLAMABAD: Shehryar Khan Afridi said that Afghan President Dr Ashraf Ghani and other Afghan stakeholders bore the responsibility to make intra-Afghan dialogue a success as Pakistan has already done what it could do to facilitate the peace process.

Addressing the participants of Pak, Afghan Media Conclave held here under the aegis of Pak, Afghan Youth Forum here at the PNCA, Shehryar Afridi said that Pakistan believed in non-interference in the affairs of Afghanistan and it fully believed in the sovereignty of Afghanistan.

He said that Pakistan is ready to provide training of reporting in the conflict zone which may greatly add to the capacity-building of Afghan journalists and media workers.

He said that Pakistan did not believe in the so-called strategic depth into Afghanistan and rather Pakistan strongly believed that Afghan peoples must resolve their issues. He said that Pakistan has been supporting the peace process in Afghanistan.

Shehryar Khan Afridi said that Prime Minister Imran Khan shared with the Afghan media and the entire information would be shared with the Afghan security team. He said that Pakistan had contributed hugely in the development of war-torn Afghanistan.

Ashraf Ghani’s former government had over 20 people who born and bred in Pakistan. He said over 1000 Afghans born and bred in Pakistan are now involved in development and reconstruction of Afghanistan.

He said most of the Afghan cricketers had got all training and grooming in Pakistan and top Pakistani cricketers trained them including Rashid Latif, Inzamamul Haq and others.

Shehryar Afridi said that in the modern history, Pakistan had been hosting millions of Afghan refugees and we are still hosting 3.5 million Afghans even today.

“Pakistan is the only nation in the world who mainstreamed 68 percent Afghan refugees per the UN recommendations and they are living outside camps and enjoying all facilities enjoyed by Pakistani citizens,” he added.

He said that Prime Minister Imran Khan opened air space for Afghan trade despite Pakistan’s trade blockade with India. He said a peaceful Afghanistan is prerequisite to peace in Pakistan. “Culture and development go hand in hand and people from the performing arts need to

Enemy wants to keep our region destabilised and for the same purpose, they are fueling misunderstandings between the two sister states,” he added.

Pakistanis better know that the people of Afghanistan are passing through hard times as we have ourselves suffered due to terrorism menace.

Addressing the audience, President of Institute of Regional Studies (IRS) Ambassador Nadeen Riaz said that media has a role to play in removing misunderstandings between the two neighbours who have a share history of friendship and sacrifice and media can bridge misunderstandings between the two neighbours.

He said that media has a responsibility to tell the world how Pakistan had contributed to the Afghan peace process as it is the best service to reduce tensions and build bridges between the two neighbouring countries.