Pakistani politicians in Kabul: Solution to challenges will take time, says Ghani

Afghan leader says his govt will do everything to resolve problems

ISLAMABAD:

Afghan President Ashraf Ghani has said that the solution to the challenges faced by Pakistan and Afghanistan could take time but his government would adopt all possible measures to resolve them.

“To overcome the challenges we face is time-consuming with many obstacles ahead. However, the new government of Afghanistan is committed to removing the problems,” said the Afghan leader during a meeting with a delegation of Pakistani politicians at the presidential palace in Kabul on Saturday.

The delegation included Pashtoonkhwa Milli Awami Party chief Mahmood Khan Achakzai, Qaumi Watan Party leader Aftab Ahmad Khan Sherpao and Awami National Party’s Afrasiab Khattak. They were visiting Kabul on the invitation extended by President Ghani during his visit to Islamabad in November, last year.

“The government of Afghanistan will continue with joint efforts and consultations, and will exert its utmost efforts to strengthen people-to-people contacts at all levels between Pakistan and Afghanistan,” Ghani said, according to a statement issued by the Afghan presidential palace.



Saturday’s meeting was aimed at discussing joint efforts to strengthen anti-terror cooperation and to boost people-to-people contacts, the statement said.

“During separate meetings held in Arg [presidential palace], the issues of enhancing bilateral relations between the two countries, improving security situation, joint efforts on fighting terrorism, and addressing the problems of Afghan migrants in Pakistan were discussed between the two sides,” it added.

The Pakistani delegation, according to the statement, told the Afghan leader that Afghanistan and Pakistan are facing common problems, “tackling of which require joint efforts”. They also told the Afghan president that Pakistan’s prospective on fight against terrorism has changed.

People in Pakistan have now realised that there is no difference between good and bad terrorism. Terrorism is not only a threat to the two countries but to the region and the entire world, the delegates said.

The meetings were also attended by Chief Executive Dr Abdullah Abdullah, former president Hamid Karzai, Afghan National Security Adviser Muhammad Hanif Atmar, Jihadi and political figures and a number of Afghan lawmakers.

In a separate meeting with Dr Abdullah, the Pakistani leaders discussed the role of political leaders to boost bilateral relations and to join hands against terrorism and violent extremism. “These Pakistani leaders have always shown goodwill for Afghanistan. We discussed ways to work for improvement of bilateral relations and establishment of peace in both countries,” Dr Abdullah said. He said Pakistan and Afghanistan are confronted with a common enemy – terrorism and extremism – and both can counter the menace together, according to the Afghan media.

Afrasiab Khattak said on microblogging website Twitter that Dr Abdullah will soon visit Pakistan. “Dr. Abdullah is shortly visiting Pakistan with a very positive message,” he tweeted. “I hope his visit will go long way in strengthening bonds.”

Aftab Sherpao said through such interactions the two countries could find out solutions to their problems. “We’ll not succeed if we do not undertake joint struggle,” the Afghan media quoted Sherpao as saying in the meeting with Dr Abdullah. “Almost every family in Afghanistan has suffered. Pakistan also suffered a lot. We want both countries should work jointly for a success,” he added.


Published in The Express Tribune, January 11^th, 2015.