Afghanistan and Pakistan have common challenges in terrorism and drug trafficking and both countries should work closely to fight the menaces, Prime Minister Raja Pervez Ashraf said on Friday.
The prime minister was talking to Afghan Foreign Minister Dr Zalmai Rassoul, who called on Ashraf at the PM’s House, where both discussed matters of mutual interest.
The prime minister said Pakistan believed that a peaceful, prosperous and stable Afghanistan was in Pakistan’s own national interest.
He termed the recent visit of High Peace Council Chairman Salahuddin Rabbani to Islamabad successful. “The council made important contributions and engaged positively with their Pakistani interlocutors. Therefore, both countries need to work closely to confront these challenges,” he added.
Ashraf expressed hope that an agreement between the two countries to hold a clerics conference would contribute positively towards consolidating the bilateral relations.
The Afghan foreign minister said the visit of the High Peace Council was successful and both the governments were now talking to find solutions. “Time has come that we show results,” the Afghan foreign minister said.
Afghan Deputy Foreign Minister Jawed Ludin, Afghan Ambassador to Pakistan Mohammad Umer Daudzai, Minister for Foreign Affairs Hina Rabbani Khar, Minister for Defence Naveed Qamar and other senior officials were also present.
US Senate approves Afghanistan commander
The Senate Armed Services Committee has approved President Barack Obama’s choice for the top commander in Afghanistan. By voice vote on Thursday, the panel cleared the way for the full senate to vote on Gen. Joseph Dunford, the assistant commandant of the Marine Corps who had directed forces in Iraq. Dunford would replace Gen. John Allen’s possible nomination, which was put on hold after the later got ensnared in the sex scandal that had led to the resignation of the CIA Director General David Petraeus.
