Chitral Times Report
ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Imran Khan paid a day-long visit to Kabul today at the invitation of President Ashraf Ghani. This was the Prime Minister’s first visit to Afghanistan since assuming office in August 2018. The Prime Minister had wide-ranging talks with President Ashraf Ghani to review efforts during the past two years to promote shared objectives of strengthening Pakistan-Afghanistan bilateral relations and achieving lasting peace and stability in Afghanistan. The Prime Minister reaffirmed Pakistan’s support to a peaceful, stable, united, democratic, sovereign and prosperous Afghanistan. He reiterated his long-standing view that there was no military solution to the conflict in Afghanistan and that a negotiated political settlement was the only way forward for enduring peace, stability and prosperity in Afghanistan. Prime Minister Imran Khan called on all sides for taking necessary measures for reduction in violence leading to ceasefire to protect Afghan lives. Underscoring the importance of an inclusive, broad-based and comprehensive political settlement, the Prime Minister underlined that Pakistan will respect the decisions made by Afghans in the peace process. He also cautioned against those who could spoil the peace efforts. During the Prime Minister’s visit, Pakistan and Afghanistan also issued a document titled “Shared Vision between Islamic Republic of Afghanistan and Islamic Republic of Pakistan to Support Peace and Stability in Both Countries and the Wider Region.” The Shared Vision is aimed at advancing a forward-looking cooperative partnership between the two countries for political, economic and people-to-people exchanges. The two leaders agreed to constitute Committees to pursue security and peace-related matters. The Prime Minister expressed satisfaction at increasing high-level leadership exchanges imparting a steady momentum to bilateral cooperation in diverse fields. In this regard, he appreciated that the recent visit of Advisor on Commerce and Investment Abdul Razak Dawood to Kabul from 16-18 November led to important breakthroughs for commencement of negotiations on Preferential Trade Agreement (PTA), progress in revision of APTTA, Customs Assistance Agreement, and understanding to have MoU for cooperation between two Central Banks. The two leaders also agreed to expedite infrastructure and energy connectivity projects. They also discussed development of new rail-road projects between Pakistan and Afghanistan. The Prime Minister extended an invitation to President Ashraf Ghani to visit Pakistan at his earliest convenience.
Meanwhile Foreign Minister Makhdoom Shah Mahmood Qureshi met his Afghan counterpart Mr. Haneef Atmar. The two Foreign Ministers reviewed complete gamut of bilateral relations, developments in the Afghan peace process, regional connectivity, and people-to-people contacts. The Foreign Minister assured his Afghan counterpart of Pakistan’s steadfast support to a peaceful, stable, sovereign and prosperous Afghanistan. The Foreign Minister reiterated Pakistan’s consistently-held position that there is no military solution to the Afghan conflict and that Afghans must seize this historic opportunity presented by U.S.-Taliban Peace Agreement and subsequent start of Intra-Afghan Negotiations for bringing an end to the conflict through inclusive and broad-based political settlement. He underlined that Pakistan will respect the decisions taken by Afghans in the peace process. The two Foreign Ministers noted that recent high-level visits from both sides have led to positive trajectory in bilateral relations and agreed to take necessary steps to further build on this momentum. Foreign Minister Qureshi expressed satisfaction at the important decisions taken by the two sides during 7th APTTCA meeting held on 17 November in Kabul including commencing of negotiations on PTA, progress on revision of APTTA, agreement of cooperation between Customs, and understanding about having an MoU on cooperation between the Central Banks. Foreign Minister Atmar thanked Foreign Minister Qureshi for Pakistan’s support in the Afghan peace process and for the support extended to Afghan nationals during Covid-19 as well as facilitation of trade, transit and pedestrian movement. The two sides also agreed that sustained peace and stability, enhanced trade, and connectivity would contribute to regional prosperity.
