Adviser to the PM on Foreign Affairs Sartaj Aziz. PHOTO: FILE
A day after his trip, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs released their official account of the visit.
It noted that Aziz had underscored Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif’s commitment to strengthen Pakistan’s fraternal ties with the Afghan people.
Aziz conveyed that a peaceful, stable and united Afghanistan was in the vital interest of Pakistan. He emphasised Pakistan’s steadfast commitment to support the peace and reconciliation process, which he said should be Afghan-owned and Afghan-led, in which Pakistan would continue to play a facilitating role.
The adviser conveyed Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif’s sincere desire to work with President Karzai for the furtherance of shared objectives of peace and stability in Afghanistan and of strengthening the bilateral relationship in all its dimensions.
It listed Aziz's slew of meetings including those with President Karzai, foreign minister Zalmai Rassoul and the commerce and industries minister Anwarul Haq Ahadi. The Chairman of the High Peace Council (HPC) Salahuddin Rabbani also called on the adviser along with an HPC delegation.
Aziz conveyed a message of cordiality and goodwill from the leadership and Pakistani people, and underlined the new government’s resolve to further deepen and broaden the Pakistan-Afghanistan bilateral relationship in all fields.
The adviser underscored that the two countries must work together to strengthen links with Central Asia, including through trade and mutually-beneficial energy projects, that would reinforce regional cooperation and promote common prosperity.
Both sides agreed to hold the next meeting of the Coordinating Authority established under the Afghanistan-Pakistan Transit Trade Agreement (APTTA) as early as possible to address matters related to transit trade. The Afghan commerce minister will also visit Pakistan at the earliest opportunity to further advance the trade agenda.
Aziz was accompanied by Foreign Secretary Jalil Abbas Jilani and other senior Foreign Ministry officials, assisted by Ambassador Mohammad Sadiq in Kabul.
Invitation to visit Pakistan
Aziz also handed over the Prime Minister’s formal invitation to President Karzai to visit Pakistan for a summit-level meeting.
President Karzai accepted the invitation. The visit will take place on mutually-convenient dates.
COMMENTS (12)
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@@Ali: i think you have been looking into wikipedia for such information thats why you come back with such numbers. i know that afghanistan is not doing well as a matter of fact for a country that has been in war for 4 decades now you shouldn't be comparing pakistan to it. you should compare pakistan to a state that has been in peace for quit some time now like India. we should have peace in the heart of asia (Afghanistan) to have peace in asia. something Alama Iqbal lahori would have told you if he was alive.
@ @Ali Unfortunately the source you used hasn't been updated since 2008! Going thru those statistics you provided above I still salute Afghans for being where they are now. Given the 4 decades of conflict they have been dealing with they are way ahead of you guys now! Kindly note that the way they are going, there is no doubt that in coming decade they will leave Pakistan behind.
thanks
@ Syed @ Ali @ uza Syed
I think you all are unaware of the fact that the situation of war in Pakistan is due to war in Afghanistan. There was peace prior to Afghan war/ 9/11 Attacks. So All the regional peace is very much related to peace in both Pakistan and Afghanistan.
Karzai shouldn't have accepted the invitation - they have done enough good to Afghanistan!
Pakistani officials wanting a stable Afghanistan is same as Pakistan's politicians condemning attacks in almost every country around the world. Meanwhile, the normal Pakistanis are dying every day without any politician taking notice of it. But then, cant totally blame the politicians either. They have learned how to exploit the masses. They know they can blame everything on India, US, Israel and the public will believe it, curse the "hidden hands" and forget about it. Another day goes on and the cycle repeats..
Are you joking or what?
Afghanistan Human Development Index: 0.398 Pakistan Human Development Index: 0.515
Afghanistan per capita income: $621 Pakistan per capita income: $1,410
Afghanistan GDP: $33 billion Pakistan GDP: $514.559 billion
Afghanistan literacy rate: 28% Pakistan literacy rate: 58.5%
Most importantly, I seriously doubt there's a single middle class person in Afghanistan who can rebut what I've just said. While I live in my own country, i.e Pakistan.
I agree that we MUST FOCUS ON PAKISTAN FIRST. But to say AFGHANISTAN is more successful than us? A joke.
ET: Please allow a reasoned rejoinder to Ali. Here are my links. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Afghanistan https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pakistan
First unite Pakistan. We have to right ourselves first.
This man lead the country to a mess in 1999 and will lead it there again. I remember him as being one of the most hated persons of NS last era. Unfortunately, now he is being sold as a person of wisdom ... His only wisdom is his lack of spine to stand against foreign powers and privatize every last bit of what the state owns... sad!
@Syed: Absolutely right. Sir, you and your government must do whatever it takes to unify and bring stability to Pakistan first and foremost. Only a unified and stable Pakistan can express any such sentiments for Afghanistan or anyone else and could be taken seriously.
LOL.... who advised whom......is your country stable? is your country drone free? is your country terror free? on what basis you are thinking that you can stable Afghanistan? Afghanistan is more stable and successful than your country called failed state. do you know that? First make your country stable then crack you head for others.
First make our own country stable
And Also repatriation of all Afghanis!