Pakistan and Afghanistan on Wednesday agreed to reconvene the Joint Peace Jirga as early as possible, says a press release issued by the Foreign Office. A 25-member delegation of the High Council for Peace in Afghanistan, led by its Chairman, Professor Burhanuddin Rabbani, met with the Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, Nawabzada Malik Ahmad Khan.
The delegation is visiting Pakistan at the invitation of Prime Minister Syed Yousuf Raza Gilani, which was extended to Professor Rabbani during the Prime Minister's visit to Afghanistan on December 4-5, 2010. The delegation was originally scheduled to meet Foreign Minister Makhdoom Shah Mahmood Qureshi who had to leave for Lahore to attend the funeral of the late Governor Salmaan Taseer.
Minister of State for Foreign Affairs said that relations between the two brotherly countries had come a long way, especially in the last two years. Implementation of the Afghanistan-Pakistan Transit Trade Agreement would bolster bilateral commercial ties.
The Minister of State underscored that Pakistan was actively participating in the reconstruction and development of Afghanistan. The fact that Pakistan continued to host close to 3 million Afghan refugees was reflective of our historical ties, as well as the bonds of friendship that existed between our two peoples for centuries.
Professor Burhanuddin Rabbani, expressing strong sentiments of friendship and brotherhood toward Pakistan, stated that Afghanistan and Pakistan were brothers and neighbours. The people of Afghanistan could never forget the valuable support, which Pakistan had extended against the foreign occupation in the 80's including hosting of 5 million Afghan refugees on its soil.
Professor Rabbani appreciated Pakistan's policy of non-interference and non- intervention. He said Pakistan was the most important country for Afghanistan. It was, therefore, important that the two countries continued to work together in order to promote peace and stability in the region. He added that there were countless opportunities for Afghanistan-Pakistan co-operation at all levels and in all spheres.
Foreign Secretary Salman Bashir, who also attended the meeting, stressed that the situation was very complex both at the regional and global levels. It was important that Afghanistan's neighbours and all countries of the region recommitted themselves to respect Afghanistan's sovereignty and territorial integrity, as well as adhered to the principles of non-interference and non-intervention. He assured the delegation that Pakistan would continue supporting Afghanistan as a sincere brotherly country. At the beginning of the meeting, the two sides offered "Fateha" for the departed soul of the late Governor of Punjab.-PR