ISLAMABAD – Pakistan on Sunday stepped up efforts to engage Afghan leadership in initiating reconciliatory process in the war-torn neighbouring country, assuring the leadership in Kabul that it would take all possible steps for the success of ongoing peace and reconciliation process between the Karzai administration and the Taliban.
Foreign Secretary Salman Bashir extended the assurance during his meetings with Afghan President Hamid Karzai and other senior officials on the first day of his two-day visit to Kabul. Giving details the developments in Kabul, a senior Foreign Office official told Pakistan Today that Bashir had an “excellent 75-minute meeting” with Karzai. Afghan Foreign Minister Zalmai Rasoul was also present.
According to the official, the foreign secretary also met Masoom Stanakzai, adviser to President Karzai, and the secretary of the high council for peace in Afghanistan. Against the backdrop of the recent visits of US Vice President Joe Biden and Head of High Council for Peace in Afghanistan Professor Burhanuddin Rabbani to Pakistan, the foreign secretary’s visit to Kabul is being seen to be very significant. The visit is also a follow up to the process launched by Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gilani in December 2010, during the prime minister’s visit to Kabul. Bashir will again meet Professor Burhanuddin Rabbani and Stanakzai today (Monday). “In their meetings on Sunday, both sides resolved to unite efforts for peace, reconciliation and common development,” the FO official said, adding that “pragmatic steps” would be taken to promote cooperation comprehensively.”Pakistan’s support for Afghan-owned and -led peace and reconciliation was conveyed by the foreign secretary during his meetings in Kabul on Sunday,” he said.
He said the foreign secretary told the Afghan authorities that stability, peace and unity of Afghanistan was in Pakistan’s vital national interest. “Both sides agreed to join hands in determining their own destiny with great hope and confidence,” the official said, adding that President Karzai praised Pakistan’s role and efforts.The official said it was agreed that consultations at the level of foreign secretaries and deputy foreign ministers would be held and that the implementation of transit trade agreement would be done by the commerce secretaries and officials’ working group. “The Afghan foreign minister will visit Islamabad later this month as part of the on-going efforts for peace,” he said.He said the two sides expressed satisfaction that Pakistan and Afghanistan were on the same page and writing together a new chapter of fraternal cooperation for shared peace and prosperity.
