Updated on
Summary
President Asif Ali Zardari on Wednesday night called for Pakistan and Afghanistan to stand together and persuaded the international community to devise a Marshal Plan for the region to banish the militancy and its effects for all time to come. The two countries need to speak the same language at international forums because both suffer from the same malaise caused by the same mindset of militancy and extremism, he said while talking to President Karzai at the bilateral talks between the two sides, each side was led by the respective President. The Afghan delegation led by President Hamid Karzai included Foreign Minister Dr. Zalmai Rassoul, National Security Advisor Dr. Rangin Dadfar Spanta, Education Minister Dr. Farooq Wardak and charg daffaires Majnoon Gulab. President Asif Ali Zardari led the Pakistani delegation comprising Foreign Minister Makhdoom Shah Mehmood Qureshi, Defence Minister Chaudhary Ahmed Mukhtar, Interior Minister Rehman A. Malik, Ms. Hina Rabbani Khar Secretary General to the President Salman Faruqui and Spokesperson to the President former Senator Farhatullah Babar. Briefing the media, Spokesperson to the President former Senator Farhatullah Babar said that President Zardari said that there may be some minor variations in the medication needed each by Pakistan and Afghanistan in meeting the Challenges of militancy but the root cause of the malaise being the same, the two countries needed to be on the same page, speak the same language and demand assistance from the international community with the same vigor and intensity. President Asif Ali Zardari also suggested that the two Foreign Ministers should sit together and work out the modalities in this regard. Babar said that President Zardari also endorsed the suggestion of his Afghan counterpart to convene a meeting of Pak-Afghan Peace Jirga after the Afghan Peace Jirga has held its deliberations. The Pak-Afghan Peace Jirga will help take the process of friendship further forward, the President said. Every step that can be taken must be taken to address our common issues, President Zardari said with reference to the proposed meeting of Pak-Afghan Peace Jirga. Strengthening bilateral ties and ways to address regional issues related to peace and security and jointly fighting terrorism also came under discussion. President Karzai who flew in here late afternoon on a two-day visit arrived at the Aiwan-e-Sadr and met President Zardari soon after his arrival. During the exclusive and delegation level talks President Zardari stressed for enhanced interaction between the two countries to better cope with the issues of terrorism and extremism. He said the unity, sovereignty and territorial integrity of Afghanistan were of great importance and termed terrorism as a common challenge to Pakistan and Afghanistan. He said Pakistan was determined to fight militancy to the end, which was a long drawn battle and there were no quick solution to this problem. President Zardari stressed the need for greater economic cooperation, adding the government was determined to correct the past mistakes to carve out a better future for posterity. Afghan President Karzai urged for a partnership which allows realization of the full potential of human and natural resources and want greater connectivity, more trade and economic cooperation. He called for new development projects and investments in the two countries driven by energy corridors in the region. Karzai thanked for Pakistans support and efforts for the rehabilitation and reconstruction of Afghanistan. President Zardari pointed that Pakistans bilateral trade with Afghanistan was US$ 1.4 billion in 2008 and there was a vast economic potential and great opportunities for cooperation. He said the Afghanistan Pakistan Transit Trade Agreement was under negotiations and hoped it would further boost economic interaction. President Zardari also pointed to the over 3 million Afghan refugees that were still in Pakistan and said an early restoration of peace and normalcy in Afghanistan will enable the return of these refugees to their motherland. The two sides focused on the need for greater harmony between the two countries.
