PM vows to foster closer cooperation with Afghanistan

Gulbuddin Hekmatyar, leader of the Hizb-e-Islami of Afghanistan, called on Prime Minister Imran Khan on Tuesday and thanked Pakistan for its long-standing contribution to the socio-economic development of Afghanistan and for hosting millions of Afghan refugees for more than four decades.

The prime minister, while welcoming the Afghan dignitary, underscored the importance, Pakistan attached to the fraternal Afghan people and reaffirmed the country’s resolve to foster closer cooperation with Afghanistan, a handout issued by the Prime Minister’s Media Office said.

Imran expressed his best wishes for the successful outcome of the Afghan peace process as Pakistan had the highest stakes in peace and stability in the region. In response Hekmatyar appreciated Pakistan’s positive role in facilitating the Afghan peace process.

Prime Minister Imran reiterated his long-standing position that there was no military solution to the conflict in Afghanistan and that an Afghan-led and Afghan-owned peace process was the only way forward.

Referring to the enormous potential in bilateral trade, transit and connectivity between the two countries, Imran said that Pakistan would continue to facilitate people-to-people exchanges, promote Afghan investments, and enhance programmes for human resource development and capacity-building of Afghans, especially in the education and health sectors.

Earlier, Hekmatyar called on President Arif Alvi and National Assembly Speaker Asad Qaiser. During the meetings, the Pakistan-Afghanistan relations and the political, economic situation in the region and issues of mutual interest were discussed.

Welcoming the Afghan leader, President Alvi underscored the need for peace and stability in Afghanistan, which he said, would benefit not only to Afghanistan and Pakistan but the entire region as well.

He expressed the hope that the peace agreement between the US and the Taliban and the intra- Afghan negotiations would help bring peace and stability to Afghanistan. He urged the Afghan leadership to seize “this historic opportunity to establish lasting peace” in their country.

The president emphasised that Pakistan’s positive contribution to promoting peace in Afghanistan had been acknowledged by the international community. Hekmatyar lauded Pakistan’s efforts for promotion of peace and reconciliation process.

Speaker Qaiser, while talking to Hekmatyar, commended the Afghan leadership for their commitment to the peace process. With the advent of peace, the speaker said, Afghanistan would lead towards development.

Hekmatyar said that Pakistan’s efforts for peace in Afghanistan were commendable. He stressed that the involvement of all parties was essential for a lasting peace in Afghanistan. He said that nations on both sides of the border had close affinities.