Pakistan hails transfer of security to Afghans by Nato

Pakistan on Wednesday welcomed President Hamid Karzai's announcement regarding the start of transfer of security and development responsibilities by international forces to Afghans while renewing its commitment to stand by the Afghan nation. "We felicitate President Karzai on the initiation of this process and wish him and the Afghan government every success," said a statement issued by the Foreign Office.
As a sincere well-wisher of the Afghan people, we are confident that the proud Afghan nation with great history and traditions is itself eminently qualified to forge a glorious future according to its national aspirations. Pakistan deeply values its relations with Afghanistan and sincerely wishes stability, peace and prosperity for the brotherly people of Afghanistan, the statement added.
On Tuesday, President Karzai had named the relatively peaceful provinces of Bamiyan and Panjshir, the western city of Herat, areas around the capital Kabul, part of Laghman province nearby and Mazar-i-Sharif in the north will be secured by Afghan forces alone from July. In addition, the city of Lashkar Gah in volatile Helmand province in the south was also included in the list. Hamid Karzai had declared that the people of Afghanistan do not want foreigners to take responsibility for security any more.
The declaration is the first step towards a long process that will end with the withdrawal of all foreign troops from Afghanistan by 2014, a process agreed by US and Nato leaders last year. Afterwards, the primary role of foreign troops in these areas would only be to train and equip the Afghan security forces and Nato/ISAF forces would cease to engage in any battle. Meanwhile, Foreign Secretary William Hague and Defence Secretary Liam Fox also welcomed the announcement by President Karzai of the start of security transition in Afghanistan.
"We welcome President Karzai's announcement today that the first phase of security transition in Afghanistan has started. This begins the process of a gradual transition, which will be completed by the end of 2014. This will ensure that UK forces will no longer be in a combat role in Afghanistan by 2015," said a statement issued by the British High Commission.