Hekmatyar meets PM, lauds role in facilitating Afghan peace process

ISLAMABAD: Gulbuddin Hekmatyar, leader of Hizb-e-Islami of Afghanistan called on Prime Minister Imran Khan here on Tuesday and appreciated Pakistan's positive role in facilitating the Afghan peace process. He also thanked Pakistan for its long-standing contribution to the socio-economic development of Afghanistan and for hosting millions of Afghan refugees for more than four decades.

The Prime Minister, while welcoming the Afghan dignitary, underscored historic bonds of friendship and brotherhood between Pakistan and Afghanistan. He underscored the importance, Pakistan attached to the fraternal Afghan people and reaffirmed the country's resolve to foster closer cooperation with Afghanistan, a press release issued by the PM Media Office here said.

The Prime Minister expressed best wishes for successful outcome of the Afghan peace process as Pakistan had the highest stake in peace and stability in the region. He reiterated his long-standing position that there was no military solution to the conflict in Afghanistan and that an Afghan-led and Afghan-owned peace process was the only way forward.

The Prime Minister noted that Intra-Afghan negotiations provided a historic opportunity for the Afghan leadership to establish lasting peace. Underlining the positive contribution made by Pakistan in facilitating the Afghan peace process, he hoped that the Afghan parties would work to secure an inclusive, broad-based and comprehensive political settlement.

The Prime Minister also warned against the damaging role of "spoilers", within and outside Afghanistan. Besides undermining peace and stability, he underlined, this could also undermine the peace dividend to be accrued in terms of progress and prosperity of the Afghan people.

Referring to the enormous potential in bilateral trade, transit and connectivity between the two countries, the Prime Minister reaffirmed Pakistan's full support for Afghanistan on the path of reconstruction and economic development and dignified return of Afghan refugees.