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ISLAMABAD: Foreign Minister Shah Mahood Qureshi Monday urged stakeholders in Afghanistan to honour their commitments and work for reduction in violence leading to ceasefire in the war-torn country.

He was speaking to Gulbuddin Hekmatyar, leader of Hezb-e-Islami Afghanistan, who called on him along with his delegation upon arrival on a three-day visit to Pakistan on Monday.

According to a statement of the Foreign Office, Foreign Minister Qureshi welcomed the delegation and underscored the historic ties of amity and brotherhood between Pakistan and Afghanistan. He reaffirmed Pakistan's desire to further strength the close fraternal relations between the two countries.

The Foreign Minister emphasized that Pakistan has always supported a peaceful, stable, united, democratic, sovereign and prosperous Afghanistan, adding that Prime Minister Imran Khan has consistently underlined that there is no military solution to the conflict in Afghanistan.

Qureshi added that Pakistan facilitated the process that culminated in the US-Taliban peace agreement in Doha on 29 February 2020 and supported the commencement of Intra-Afghan Negotiations.

He stressed the importance of an inclusive, broad-based and comprehensive political settlement through an Afghan-led and Afghan-owned process. The Foreign Minister underscored that all parties must honour their respective commitments and work for reduction in violence leading to ceasefire. The Afghan leaders must seize this historic opportunity to achieve durable and sustainable peace in Afghanistan, he asserted.

Qureshi also underlined the importance of exercising vigilance and guarding against the role of 'spoilers', both within and outside.

The Foreign Minister also highlighted the steps taken by Pakistan to support Afghanistan on its path to reconstruction and economic development as well as for improved transit and bilateral trade relations.

He underlined the importance of making the return of Afghan refugees to their homeland with dignity and honour a part of the peace process. The visiting top Afghan politician also held a meeting with Chairman Senate Sadiq Sanjrani at his chamber at the Parliament House. Talking to him, chairman Senate said that the government, Parliament and people of Pakistan have cordial relations with the brotherly people of Afghanistan based on shared history, faith and culture.

He reiterated the need to strengthen the bilateral relations through enhanced economic cooperation and parliamentary ties for establishment of an inclusive society.

The chairman Senate emphasized the need for enhanced trade and economic linkages between Pakistan and Afghanistan, saying that closer economic relations provide stronger underpinnings for a durable and constructive relationship.

"In the midst of COVID-19, Pakistan opened its border for transit and bilateral trade for Afghanistan as a special gesture," he said. This signifies the importance we attach to our brotherly relations, he added.

He said that Pakistan seeks strong and robust partnership with Afghan government and has always supported Afghanistan in its difficult times.

"A stable and prosperous Afghanistan, at peace with itself and with its neighbours, is in the national interest of Pakistan," Sanjrani was quoted by the Senate media office to have told Hekmatyar.

Sanjrani pointed out that Pakistan's support for Afghan peace process and intra-Afghan negotiations has been acknowledged by Afghan government and the international community.

"We reiterate our continued support for the peace process," he said, adding that the start of intra-Afghan negotiations has provided a historic opportunity that the Afghan leadership should seize to achieve an inclusive, broad-based and comprehensive political settlement.

He also underscored the need for strong people-to-people contacts and such contacts are fundamental element of our relations. He added that Pakistan is also undertaking measures to enhance education, health services and air connectivity with Afghanistan and that more than 4,000 students have availed scholarship at various universities in Pakistan.

The Afghan leader thanked the Chairman Senate for the warm welcome and emphasized the need for enhanced linkages and cooperation between the two countries.

During his visit from October 19-21, Hekmatyar will call on the Prime Minister and President and will meet Speaker National Assembly and other dignitaries.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2020

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