Pakistan will continue playing facilitatory role for Afghan peace: FM

Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi and his Tajik counterpart Sirojiddin Muhriddin on Monday expressed commitment to enhance bilateral ties in areas of economy, trade and people-to-people contacts in line with the vision of their leaderships.

In a meeting held on the sidelines of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization Council of Foreign Ministers (SCO-CFM), the two sides focused on issues of mutual and regional importance besides promotion of bilateral cooperation in multilateral fields.

Prior to the meeting, Muhriddin received Qureshi at Tajikistan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Dushanbe. Qureshi congratulated his Tajik counterpart on hosting the SCO CFM on the eve of the organisation’s 20th anniversary.

During the meeting, Qureshi recalled the recent visit of Tajik President Emomali Rahmon to Pakistan, which had further strengthened bilateral relations. He expressed satisfaction over the commonalities of views between Pakistan and Tajikistan on regional and global issues.

On Afghanistan, Qureshi informed his Tajik counterpart of Pakistan’s sincere reconciliation efforts for peace and said that the country was committed to continue playing facilitatory role for stability of the region.

Qureshi arrived in the Tajikistan’s capital early on Monday on a three-day visit to attend the SCO-CFM. At the airport, he was received by Tajikistan’s Deputy Foreign Minister Sharf Sher Alizada, Pakistan’s ambassador to Tajikistan Imran Haider.

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The foreign minister will lead the Pakistan delegation at the SCO-CFM, which will be attended by the foreign ministers of all the member states. The SCO-CFM will deliberate on important regional and international issues and consider documents for approval and adoption by the Council of Heads of State.

The foreign minister will also participate in the meeting of SCO-Afghanistan Contact Group, being held at the ministerial level. He will share Pakistan’s perspective on the situation in Afghanistan and stress the imperative of a peaceful, negotiated political solution.

Also, Foreign Minister Qureshi will confer extensively with foreign ministers from the SCO countries and underscore Pakistan’s efforts in support of the Afghan peace process and durable peace and stability in the region.

On the sidelines of the meeting, he is scheduled to meet with Tajikistan President Emomali Rahmon, as well as his counterparts from, Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan, Afghanistan, Russia and China. Bilateral and regional ties, besides issues of mutual interests will be discussed during these meetings.