Peace in Afghanistan means peace in Pakistan: Gen Qamar

Chief of Army Staff (COAS) General Qamar Javed Bajwa on Friday said that Pakistan will continue supporting the ongoing intra-Afghan dialogue as "peace in Afghanistan means peace in Pakistan", Inter Services Public Relations (ISPR) said in a statement.

The military's media wing said that General Qamar visited corps headquarter Peshawar today and was given a detailed update on the security situation, border management including fencing, capacity enhancement of Frontier Corps (FC) and police in the newly-merged tribal districts as a result of the transition to stability.

Appreciating officers and men of Peshawar Corps, the army chief lauded efforts of law enforcement agencies (LEAs) including FC and police for bringing stability in the tribal districts.

Hailing the sacrifices of the local populace for peace and their earnest support to armed forces in the war against terrorism, General Qamar said that ongoing consolidation efforts shall take the hard-earned gains towards enduring peace and stability.

While highlighting the dividends of border control measures, Gen Qamar said that Pakistan will continue supporting the ongoing intra-Afghan dialogue as peace in Afghanistan means peace in Pakistan.

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The COAS had echoed the same sentiments to a visiting Afghan delegation earlier in the week that it was in Pakistan’s national interest to have peace in the neighbouring country.

“Peace in Afghanistan means peace in Pakistan,” the army chief said during his meeting with Mohammad Karim Khalili, the head of Hizb-e-Wahadat Islami Afghanistan.

Khalili visited Pakistan as part of the ongoing high-level exchanges between the two countries aimed at reducing trust deficit.

The visiting dignitary, as per the ISPR statement, appreciated the positive role played by Pakistan and the vision of the army chief on the future of Pak-Afghan relations.

In recent months, there has been a flurry of high-level visits from both sides. While Prime Minister Imran Khan recently undertook a maiden visit to Kabul, the head of Afghan High Peace council Dr Abdullah Abdullah and the leader of Hizb-e-Islami Gulbadin Hekmatyar travelled to Islamabad.

Officials said the visits were part of efforts by the two sides to improve ties considered key for any Afghan peace deal. The two countries had issues of trust deficit amplified by the allegations from both sides.

But as the peace process moves further, improvement in the relationship between Pakistan and Afghanistan are paying dividends.