Afghanistan's President Hamid Karzai (R) shakes hands with Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif at a joint news conference in Kabul. PHOTO: REUTERS
KABUL: "I have assured my brother President Karzai that Pakistan would continue to extend all possible facilitation for the Afghan peace process," Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif said on Saturday, Express News reported.
He was talking at a joint news conference with Afghanistan's President Hamid Karzai. Nawaz is in Kabul on a one-day visit to Pakistan's western neighbour to revive the peace process before Nato troops are withdrawn in 2014.
"In our view, the key to a sustainable peace in Afghanistan 2014 and beyond is an inclusive political settlement. That is why Pakistan has steadfastly supported an Afghan-led and Afghan-owned peace and reconciliation process," Nawaz stated.
Stressing the severity of the situation he said that "it is imperative to reverse the destructive cycle of conflict. This is the time to take decisive steps for moving forward the dialogue process and lead to a successful conclusion."
Pakistan to facilitate meeting with Mullah Baradar
When asked about the release of Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar, Afghan Taliban's second-in-command, Nawaz reiterated that he has been released.
Nawaz promised that he would help arrange further meetings between Afghan officials and a former Taliban commander as part of renewed efforts to revive a defunct peace process.
"Mullah Baradar has been released. We have discussed this matter at length today," Nawaz said. "Anybody who is sent (by President Karzai to Pakistan to talk to Mullah Baradar)... we will make sure that such meetings take place."
An Afghan official claimed that Baradar appeared to have been sedated and unable to talk during his meeting with representatives of Afghanistan's High Peace Council in Karachi 10 days ago.
"The Afghan High Peace Council delegation did meet with Mullah Baradar, but in practical terms they discussed nothing because he was drugged and was unable to talk," the senior Afghan government official claimed.
Economic ties
"I have always placed a central emphasis on building a strong trade and economic partnership. Today we review the progress being made in advancing that goal and in developing a comprehensive multidimensional relationship that serves the long-term interests of our two peoples," Nawaz stated addressing the economic ties between the two countries.
"In the regional context trade energy and connectivity are the essential components of our economic corporation agenda. [Afghanistan and Pakistan] agree there are huge opportunities promoting closer commercial energy infrastructure and communication links. We have commited ourselves to accelerating the realisation of trans-region projects including KASA 1000 and TAPI gas pipeline," the premier further added.
COMMENTS (22)
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kundar River Dam Ir Pakistan will built, Ir Afghanistan has given their accord on November 30 2013 a great project very benefic for both the countries
Extend all possible facilitation except for the Quetta Shura and the Haqqani Network, we will hold on to them to keep Afghanistan factionalized.
Afghans know Pakistan is not a sincere partner and it will continue to employ its strategic assets.
...I think Nawaz & Karzai has got some chemistry among them. It can be useful in future.
..Nawaz in 90s assisted and formulated Islamabad Accord in which all factions of Afghanistan were present. Karzai at that time was the foreign relations advisor to Late Professor Burhanuddin Rabbani. (if memory serves me best)
Both hesitantly accept hardliners but knows the fact that one will get far less by not engaging with them. Both wants to be at good side of West and wants to carve their names in political history.
...Wish them good luck, because they both need it as badly as they need peace in the region.
regards,
Either he does not know the meaning of inclusive or he really thinks his partnership with his neighbours is as inclusive as Constitution of Pakistan.
@ Muhammad
Jai Pakistan, that is a new one. I thought Pakistanis discarded everything from their former identity, but I'm happy to see that somethings like language cannot be discarded.
@ Muhammad
You talk as if Afghanistan has a parallel government where Karzai is not the leader. The whole mayor of Kabul thing is an old and tired cliche.
FATA and parts of Balochistan do not fall under the writ of Pakistan that would make NS the mayor of Islamabad or perhaps Lahore.
You can take your comedy routine to the Apollo in NY, perhaps you can fill a slot on amateur night.
So if Inclusive of taliban is good for Afganistan , how about 'inclusive of TTP' for Islamabad and Pakistan ?
@Kabul: I think you mean Nawaz Sharif should first tell Karzai to stop allowing Afghanistan as a base to be used by India. For many decades, Afghanistan has been a client state of India and this allowed Indians to commit all kinds of crimes in Pakistan from bases in Afghanistan. This was confirmed by US Defense Secretary Chuck Hegel. Unless Afghanistan stops taking instruction from Indian leaders, they cannot build on peace with Pakistan. If you are talking about Afghanistan taking back the millions of refugees in Pakistan, I think this is also a good step.
@Luciferous: you should safeguard your own demons and stop worrying about us. We are old enough to take care of our own. Jai Pakistan
@Kabul: Afghanistan to instruct !!!! is this bad English or new power position Afghanistan is assuming to south Asia after greater looters of Ghazni and Abdali's?
He's out of the country again?
@Dr.A.K.Tewari: "Prosperity of Pakistan is directly related with good relation with India and Afghanistan and for this sake you have to stop interfering in the internal affairs of both the nation."
Dr. Ji: Completely agree with you and will add that prosperity of the whole region depends on peace in the region but will ISI, RAW, RSS, JI, likes of Hafiz Saeed, Narender Modi, the Einsteins at Indian and Pakistan foreign ministries be able to see that? I know the answer; a big NO!
Good decision to visit Afghanistan & to develop lack of trust b/w two nations, most important Mehmood Khan Achakzai accompanied him on this day visit will surely bring out some positive outcome.