Pakistan fully supports Afghan reconciliation process: PM
Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif held a meeting with Afghan President Karzai in Kabul on Saturday.
(Web Desk) - Pakistan and Afghanistan have agreed to further enhance cooperation to realize the objectives of peace‚ stability and prosperity in the region.
The understanding came during a meeting between Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif and Afghan President Hamid Karzai in Kabul today.
Later addressing a joint news conference along with the Afghan president‚ Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif absolutely made it clear that Islamabad desires a friendly and improved relations with Afghanistan based on mutual trust‚ respect for sovereignty and territorial integrity. A peaceful‚ stable and united Afghanistan is in Pakistan s vital interest.
He expressed satisfaction that both the countries are working together to make the neighborhood peaceful. He said we have no favorites in Afghanistan rather the people of Afghanistan have to take decisions regarding their future.
Referring to the troop draw down in 2014‚ Nawaz Sharif said this is a major step towards making Afghan people master of their own fate.
He‚ however‚ emphasized that this major milestone will be accompanied by many challenges. It is in everybody s interest that transition in Afghanistan is completed as peacefully as possible.
He said Pakistan has always supported an afghan-led and afghan-owned peace process. Inclusive political settlement will bring peace in Afghanistan. He said Pakistan has a vital stake in Afghanistan s success in its journey towards peace and stability. Pakistan will stand by Kabul in its every step.
The Prime Minister urged all the stakeholders to seize the opportunity and join the peace efforts. It is time to take decisive steps in dialogue process to realize the objectives of peace and stability.
Reaffirming Pakistan s support for Afghan reconciliation process‚ the prime minister said the international community should remain engaged in the reconstruction of Afghanistan.
On cooperation in diverse sectors‚ Nawaz Sharif said we have agreed that there is huge potential of closer collaboration between the two countries in diverse sectors including trade‚ energy‚ infrastructure and communications. We have committed ourselves to trans-regional projects including CASA and TAPI gas pipeline projects.
In his remarks‚ Afghan President Hamid Karzai said terrorism poses threat to both Pakistan and Afghanistan and both the countries need to work together to curb it. He also expressed his desire to build strong economic relations with Pakistan.
