Islamabad ready to work in cooperative mode with Kabul: Gilani

Pakistan and Afghanistan on Friday agreed to further enhance and cooperate with each other to ensure peace, security and stability in the region. Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani held one-hour long meeting with Afghanistan's President Hamid Karzai at a newly built 'Shangri la Resort' here on the sidelines of 17th Saarc summit and discussed bilateral relations, situation in the region and Saarc affairs.
Foreign Minister Hina Rabbani Khar, Interior Minister Rehman Malik, Communication Minister Dr Arbab Rahim, Minister for Ports and Shipping Babur Ghauri and other officials of Foreign Office also attended the meeting from Pakistan side. Talking to newsmen along with President Karzai, Gilani said that the government in Pakistan has made unprecedented efforts to improve its relations with Afghanistan since 2008.
The Prime Minister said that Pakistan is prepared to work in a co-operative mode with Afghanistan and other international partners to promote the shared objectives of stability and peace in Afghanistan. Referring to the of Burhanuddin Rabbani, Gilani said that it had caused a setback to the peace and reconciliation process and added that Pakistan would extend full co-operation to the joint investigation commission to probe the murder of Rabbani.
The Prime Minister said that Burhanuddin was a sincere friend of Pakistan and his death "is a great loss" to Pakistan. The Prime Minister said that the challenges have to be addressed through concerted efforts. He said, "We need to sincerely commit not to allow our respective national territories to be used for activities detrimental to each others interests."
He emphasised that reconciliation and reintegration in Afghanistan have to be entirely Afghan-led, Afghan-owned and part of a domestic political process, and assured full support from Pakistan for this process. He said Pakistan had joined the Joint Peace and Reconciliation Commission on the request of Afghanistan and was still ready to facilitate this process, if requested by Afghanistan.
He said various trilateral and quadrilateral processes are aimed at creating an enabling environment to work on development agenda and promote trans-regional development co-operation. These and other important processes such as the ECO and the SCO are now gaining momentum, he added. Both countries agreed to convene the postponed trilateral meeting between Pakistan, Iran and Afghanistan on mutually agreed dates.
He also appreciated the outcome of the trilateral meeting held in Istanbul on Afghanistan, attended by Presidents Asif Ali Zardari, Hamid Karzai and Abdullah Gul and hoped that it would be helpful in resolving the Afghan issue through peaceful means.
He said that any remaining or upcoming problems can also be resolved through mutual efforts, especially with the help of Afghanistan-Pakistan Transit Trade Co-ordination Authority. The Prime Minister said Pakistan and Afghanistan should work jointly for enhancing rail and road connectivity. Projects like TAPI and CASA-1000 because this rail and road connections can change the region.
He said involvement of private sectors in development programs and joint ventures is imperative. He said, "We should also encourage project-based co-operation in the areas of energy, transport, industry, communication, mining, livestock, agriculture and environment." Karzai said strategic agreement between Afghanistan and India is not against Pakistan or any other country in the region. He said it would help to promote education and development in Afghanistan. He said, "We fully understand that instability in Pakistan can not be source of stability in Afghanistan and vice versa."