–COAS says peace in Pakistan hinges upon peaceful Afghanistan
ISLAMABAD: Reiterating Pakistan’s consistent support to the Afghan peace process, Prime Minister Imran Khan has underscored that intra-Afghan negotiations process must be pursued with perseverance and patience for an inclusive and broad-based solution.
The prime minister said this while having a meeting with Hezb-e-Wahdat-e-Islami Afghanistan leader Ustad Karim Khalili who along with a delegation called on him on Tuesday.
The exchange of views covered progress in the Afghan peace process and bilateral relations between Pakistan and Afghanistan.
The premier underscored his long standing position that there is no military solution to the conflict in Afghanistan and that a negotiated political settlement is the only way forward.
Noting that the Afghan people have suffered gravely due to prolonged conflict in the country, PM Imran stressed that after the Afghan people, Pakistan is most desirous of peace and stability in Afghanistan.
He recalled his recent interaction with Afghan leaders and underlined that Pakistan’s message to all sides is to work together for a peaceful solution. The prime minister particularly underscored the importance of reduction of violence leading to ceasefire. He added that a peaceful and stable Afghanistan will open up new vistas of cooperation in trade and regional connectivity.
The premier also reiterated Pakistan’s commitment to strengthen the bilateral relationship with Afghanistan, including trade and economic ties and people-to-people linkages. He also assured the Afghan delegation of Pakistan’s continued support for human resource development through scholarships and socio-economic development projects in Afghanistan.
Separately, during a meeting with the delegation at the General Headquarters (GHQ), Chief of Army Staff (COAS) General Qamar Javed Bajwa said that peace in Afghanistan means peace in Pakistan, the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) said in a statement.
The army chief said that a stable and prosperous Afghanistan at peace with itself and its neighbours is in Pakistan’s national interest, reported the military’s media wing.
According to the ISPR, matters of mutual interest, peace and stability in the region, connectivity, and current developments in the Afghan peace process were discussed during the meeting.
The visiting dignitary appreciated the positive role played by Pakistan for Afghan peace as well as the army chief’s vision on future of Pakistan-Afghanistan relations, said the ISPR.
Earlier, the Afghan delegation held a meeting with Foreign Minister Makhdoom Shah Mahmood Qureshi to discuss matters of mutual interest including the Pakistan-brokered United States-Taliban peace talks.
During the meeting, Qureshi reiterated Islamabad’s stance that there was no military solution to the long-running Afghan conflict, saying only political dialogue could resolve the conflict.
Welcoming the progress made during the on-again, off-again intra-Afghan talks, Qureshi expressed optimism about the second round of talks being held in Doha.
He emphasised that the regional peace was linked to the stability in Afghanistan and expressed satisfaction over the progress in intra-Afghan dialogue, saying it provides a unique opportunity to the Afghan leadership which must be seized for peace in the country.
Qureshi regretted that India is acting as a spoiler in Afghanistan and we have presented irrefutable evidence in this regard before the world community.
The foreign minister shared that the government was taking concrete steps for the promotion of bilateral relations between the two countries, adding that Pakistan has also introduced a new visa policy to facilitate the Afghans.
Khalili thanked the foreign minister for hosting the Afghan refugees over the last many decades and praised Pakistan’s role in the Afghan peace process.
Khalili belongs to the Shia Hazara community from the Northern Alliance and his visit is a part of Pakistan’s ongoing policy to reach out to political leadership in Afghanistan to forge a common understanding on the Afghan peace process and deepen people-to-people ties.
His visit comes on the heels of the start of intra-Afghan peace talks between the Afghan government and the Afghan Taliban.
Khalili is visiting Pakistan at a time when Afghanistan is rife with rumors of the formation of an interim government to help push the political reconciliation in war-torn Afghanistan.
The country’s fraternal ties with Afghanistan are rooted deep in shared history, faith, culture, values and traditions, a Foreign Office (FO) statement said. The premier, on many occasions, said that Pakistan fully supports all efforts for peace, stability and prosperity in Afghanistan.
Pakistan remains steadfast in its support for an inclusive, broad-based and comprehensive political solution to the conflict in Afghanistan through an Afghan-led and Afghan-owned peace process, it added.
When the Arabs became Muslims about 1400 years ago they brought unity and peace among the weird and warring tribes of Arabia.
As we all can see that the situation in Afghanistan is no different to the wild and weird Arabs of 1400 years ago unfortunately. Will it not be a good idea for the Afghans to do what those Arabs did in making it possible to bring peace in Arabia.
Islaam spread like wild fire in Arabia and beyond. Why? Those Arabs were Muslims hence whosoever met them was convinced by their behaviour to be like them. The habits, characteristics and behaviour of Muslims is very heart warming and heart winning because Udl wul Ehsaan is in their everyday habits and practices.
So can we expect the Afghans at large also bring Udl wul Ehsaan in their habits and practices as this is the only solution to bringing peace anywhere in the world including Afghanistan.