KABUL – Prime Minister Syed Yusuf Raza Gilani on Saturday said Pakistan supports an “Afghan-led” solution for the political settlement of Afghanistan and warned that an “outside formula” was not going to work.
Prime Minister Gilani, in a meeting with Afghan President Hamid Karzai at his presidential palace, emphasized on shaping the political settlement that was “home-based” besides being “durable and sustainable.”
A Foreign Office official privy to the meeting told APP that Prime Minister Gilani stressed on an “inclusive strategy” encompassing all groups within Afghanistan to share the decision about their country’s future.
Gilani who arrived here on a day-long visit on the invitation of President Karzai said Pakistan was interested in the “peace, stability and unity” of Afghanistan and made it clear that it had no intentions to play a leading or substantive role in the political process.
The Afghan President Hamid Karzai announced the start of the transition process in Afghanistan on March 23, that would eventually lead to withdrawal of all foreign forces.
Gilani’s delegation includes Defence Minister Ahmad Mukhtar, Interior Minister Rehman Malik, Minister of State for Foreign Affairs Hina Rabbani Khar, Chief of Army Staff General Ashfaq Parvez Kayani, Director General Inter Services Intelligence Ahmed Lt. Gen Shuja Pasha and Foreign Secretary Salman Bashir.
Gilani told President Karzai that Pakistan intended to work with Afghanistan on three tracks, i.e. the military, intelligence and political, besides pursuing the development road map.
He said recently the relationship between Pakistan and Afghanistan had undergone a “sea change”, and termed it a “bilateral process”. He said the objective was to find a strategic coherence and clarity on Afghan-related issues.
Gilani told Afghan President that it was time for Pakistan and Afghanistan to take “ownership” of their affairs, conveying the world that they were mature and responsible enough to deal with their issues whether political or terrorism-related.
The Prime Minister said the visit was aimed at holding consultation with President Karzai on the modalities of political settlement and reaching out to the Afghan public and other ethnic and political groups.
He recalled his visit to Afghanistan in last December where he met the Chairman of High Peace Council Professor Burhanuddin Rabbani and said Pakistan had great respect for President Karzai, Professor Rabbani and all members of the Council.
Gilani mentioned the presence of Chief of the Army Staff and the Director General Inter Services Intelligence along with political representatives in the delegation-level talks and said it showed that all state institutions were “on the same page” over the issue of Afghanistan’s stability.
Gilani said his visit was part of the joint commitment by leadership of both the countries to consult, cooperate and coordinate on all issues of mutual interest and concern.
