Pakistan to back intra-Afghan talks’ outcome: SAPM

Pakistan has assured a visiting Afghan delegation that Islamabad would support whatever governance set-up emerged in the aftermath of the intra-Afghan dialogue currently under way between the Taliban and the government in Kabul in the Qatari capital.

Dr Moeed Yusuf, Special Assistant to Prime Minister on National Security, suggested that the Track-II process between Pakistan and Afghanistan should complement Track-I process and assist it by providing the government with targeted policy proposals.

According to a statement, Dr Yusuf met with the members of the Pakistan-Afghanistan Joint Committee (PAJC) after the meeting, spearheaded by the Centre for Research and Security Studies (CRSS) and the Organisation for Economic Studies and Peace (OESP) in the federal capital.

Dr Yusuf thanked the efforts of the CRSS. He apprised the Afghan participants that today’s Pakistan is a new Pakistan and a lot has changed over last two decades. “We have a new security paradigm now with economic security at its core,” the SAPM said.

He stressed the need for both sides to let go of the past in order to move forward. He was of the view that Track-II process, instead running parallel to Track-I, should in fact complement Track-I and assist it by providing the government with targeted policy proposals.

“Our region has been misused by global powers for so long. We need to get segregated from these dirty games,” he told the delegates. On Pakistan’s role in Afghan peace process, he stated that Islamabad supported the Afghan-led and Afghan-owned peace process.

“Whatever governance set-up that may emerge post intra-Afghan dialogue, it will have Islamabad’s support. Now the ball is in the court of Afghans and they should take the steering wheel from now on,” Dr Yusuf added.

The PAJC members expressed their optimism about the recent positive developments between Pakistan and Afghanistan. The delegates also appreciated Islamabad’s encouraging moves over the past few months.

The Afghan delegates urged Pakistan to play a more assertive role in the Afghan peace process, particularly ensuring an inclusive role of the youth and women. There was a consensus that trade should be the key to boost the bilateral relations in coming months.

On the occasion, the Pakistani delegates highlighted the need for positive narratives from the media, especially the Afghan media. They also stressed the need for more exchanges between the youth and artists of the two countries to promote soft diplomacy.

 

Speaking at the 7th PAJC meeting earlier, Prime Minister’s Special Representative for Afghanistan Ambassador Muhammad Sadiq said that both sides have achieved significant progress in the last few months but stressed that there was a lot still to be done.

“Complex issues accumulating over years will take some time for resolution,” Ambassador Sadiq said. “For the first time, the parliaments on both sides are playing a very active role in addressing issues of mutual interest,” he added.

Sadiq said that trade is and should always be the connecting link between the two nations as it promotes people-to-people contacts along with a lot of economic opportunities, particularly for the ones residing in border areas.

“We are also looking into investing into each other countries, which reinforces our push for increased trade, paving way for shared stakes and mutual interests. This in turn would materialise into durable peace and sustainable development in the region,” Sadiq added.

He added that Islamabad’s seriousness in mending trust deficit and starting a new chapter in the bilateral relationship with Kabul reflects in the number of steps the government of Pakistan has initiated in the last six months.

“These include introduction of a liberal and friendly visa regime for Afghanistan, making it easier for Afghans to do business and open bank accounts inside Pakistan, decision to open 12 border markets with Afghanistan,” he said.

The special representative of prime minister also mentioned some projects in pipeline, including tele-medical centres in Afghanistan and railway link between the countries. Ambassador Sadiq assured that progress on bilateral front would pick up pace in the coming months.

The Afghan delegation included parliament members Shinkai Karokhail, Gul Ahmad Kamin, Fatima Kohistani, Gulalai Mohammadi and Farzana Kochai; women’s rights activist Palwasha Hassan; social activist and former commissioner Momina Yari; former deputy minister Mozammil Shinwari; former governor Khan Jan Alokozai; senior journalist Waris Hasrat; political analyst Aziz Ullah Amin; human rights activist Mari Akrami, political analyst and researcher Mirwais Wardak and Executive Director PAJCCI Naqeeb Ullah Safi.

While the Pakistani side was represented by National Assembly Member Mehnaz Akber Aziz; former inspector general of police Dr Shoiab Suddle; former defence secretary Lt-Gen (retd) Asif Yasin Malik; former ambassadors Seema Ilahi Baloch, Mian Sanaullah, Tasnim Aslam, Qazi Humayun, Asif Durrani and Ayaz Wazir; former Board of Investment (BOI) chairman Haroon Sharif; senior journalists Nasim Zehra, Tahir Khan, Rehman Azhar and Hasan Khan; public policy and human security expert Ammara Durrani; and Pak-Afghan research fellow and policy expert Ahmed Siddiqi.