Pakistan, Afghanistan start talks on reconciliation process

Pakistan and Afghanistan on Sunday started consultation on peace and reconciliation process, well-placed sources said.
The two sides agreed to closely coordinate future steps with regards to the peace and reconciliation process, as well as development and reconstruction in Afghanistan as a shift in Pakistan’s foreign policy was noticed, sources in the Foreign Office said.
“Pakistan is clear that peace and stability as well as development in the region are in its own interest. To pursue the objective it wants good relations with all the neighbouring countries including India,” the sources said. Sources in Afghan embassy said Afghanistan was satisfied with the policy of Pakistan, but the Karzai administration wanted to weaken the anti-Pakistan lobby as well, therefore, Kabul had recently insisted on expediting probe into Burhanuddin Rabbani’s assassination. The sources added that Afghan ambassador in his latest meeting with Foreign Minister Hina Rabbani Khar stressed expediting the process of the probe.
In his visit to Pakistan in February, Afghan President Hamid Karzai urged Islamabad to help contact the Taliban and initiation of peace process in Afghanistan. After Karzai’s visit, Prime Minister Yousaf Gilani had publicly called upon the Taliban and other groups in Afghanistan to support peace and reconciliation process in Afghanistan.
The sources said in the meeting with the ambassador, Hina promised to do what the government could for addressing the problems conveyed by the Afghan ambassador and she also vowed to expedite investigation of assassination of Burhanuddin, who was also the head of the High Peace Council.