PM Nawaz invites new Afghan leaders to Pakistan

Premier assures Afghanistan of Pakistan’s full support for peace and reconciliation in the war-torn country

Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif on Tuesday assured Afghanistan of Pakistan’s full support for peace and reconciliation in the war-torn country, Radio Pakistan reported. 

In a telephonic conversation with Afghan President-elect Ashraf Ghani Ahmadzai and Chief Executive-designate Abdullah Abdullah, PM Nawaz congratulated the leaders and invited them to visit Pakistan.

Ghani and Abdullah, the rival presidential candidates in Afghanistan, signed a landmark power-sharing deal on September 21, ending months-long political impasse that threatened the democratic transition. Pakistan immediately welcomed the agreement terming it a positive development.

Sources said both COAS Raheel Sharif and the prime minister decided to reach out to the new government in Kabul in an effort to alleviate mistrust between the two neighbours.

Relations between Islamabad and Kabul have been tense in recent weeks due to cross-border attacks by militants as well as recent announcement by the Punjabi Taliban to renounce violence in Pakistan and shift their activities to Afghanistan.