PM tells Afghan minister Pakistan will ensure its soil is not used against Afghanistan
Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif on Thursday said building stable and cooperative ties with all countries, including Afghanistan, was part of his vision of a peaceful neighbourhood.
“With the change of leadership in Afghanistan our two countries have commenced a historic new phase in our bilateral relations,” the prime minister said in a statement after his meeting with Afghan Minister for Refugees and Repatriation Sayed Hussain Alemi Balkhi at the Prime Minister House.
“We have agreed to look beyond the past and building a forward-looking relationship based on mutual trust.”
The premier said that the countries’ focus is on enhanced political engagement, security and counter-terrorism cooperation, trade and economic partnership and regional cooperation.
“Terrorism is a common enemy of both countries and requires our common effort to defeat it. Both the countries have paid a very heavy price at the hands of terrorism and now we have launched Operation Zarb-e-Azb which has broken the backbone of terrorist network in the country,” he added.
The premier said the two neighbouring countries have an agreement to not allow their territories to be used against each other.
Speaking about the crackdown on Afghan refugees following the December attack on a school in Peshawar, the prime minister said Pakistan is fully committed to the internationally endorsed Solution Strategy for Afghan Refugees. “The two countries should closely engage with UNHCR for devising a realistic roadmap for repatriation of the refugees,” he said.
The premier recalled in the London Conference on Afghanistan held in December last year, he had called upon the international community to support Afghanistan to bring back Afghan refugees living abroad, by helping to create conducive conditions for their sustainable reintegration in their homeland.
“Pakistan respects the principle of voluntary return and feels encouraged that the Afghan government is creating pull factors to incentivise the return of refugees.”
Sharif expressed the confidence that Balkhi’s visit would help advance the realisation of “comprehensive and enduring” partnership between Afghanistan and Pakistan and said he desires to visit Kabul himself to further bolster bilateral ties.
BALOCHISTAN DEVELOPMENT TOP PRIORITY:
Separately, Prime Minister Sharif said the government of PML-N has prioritised development in Balochistan and wishes to take all decisions through consultation and cooperation of all parties of the province.
“The government wants to provide equal opportunities to the people living in all parts of the country through infrastructure development especially by constructing better roads and highways,” the premier said while speaking to BNP-Mengal President Akhtar Mengal.
The prime minister said Balochistan is an important part of Pakistan’s federal democratic system and asked Mengal to play his role in parliament so that pace of development in the province increases.
