‘Only Afghans can decide their country’s future’

Only Afghans have the right to determine the future direction of their country.

This was stated by Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa Governor Shah Farman as he addressed a Polio Day ceremony at the Pak-Afghan border in Torkham on Saturday.

Ziaul Haq Amarkhel, the governor of the Nangarhar province of Afghanistan, Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa (K-P) Health Minister Taimur Saleem Jhagra were also present on the occasion.

Farman further said that Pakistan is committed to a peaceful, stable and prosperous Afghanistan.

Both the governors later administered anti-polio drops to children to mark World Polio Day. They agreed to strengthen coordination and to initiate synchronised polio campaigns to boost the immunity of children living on both sides of the Durand Line.

Governor Farman added that they wish to convey a message to the world that Pakistan and Afghanistan stand committed to the cause of polio eradication from the endemic region.

He said that the joint efforts by Pakistan and Afghanistan will usher in a new era in the fight against the global and national cause of polio eradication and will help ensure that all the target children are vaccinated in every round of the campaign.

He further stated that Pakistan attaches immense importance to its brotherly relations with Afghanistan. In this regard, he pointed out that recently, at the request of Kabul, Islamabad had opened five border crossing-point to facilitate transit trade and bilateral institutional mechanism.

Published in The Express Tribune, October 26^th, 2020.