Prime Minister’s Adviser on National Security Sartaj Aziz on Friday said the Afghan leadership and Pakistan have agreed to put an end to recent series of harsh statements in a bid to revive the strained relations between the two countries.
Aziz said this after separate meetings with Afghan President Ashraf Ghani and Foreign Minister Salahuddin Rabbani in Kabul.
Pakistan’s NSA said that he has conveyed Pakistan’s concerns over recent statements from Kabul that accused Islamabad of plotting terror bids in Afghan capital. He urged Afghanistan to end the propaganda campaign against Pakistan.
He further stressed the Afghan leadership to continue peace dialogue with Taliban insurgents in order to restore peace and stability in the war torn region.
“Pakistan is still ready to play any key role in the peace process,” he offered the Afghan president.
The Pakistani NSA also asked President Ghani to make efforts for implementation of the memorandum of understanding signed between Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) and Afghanistan’s National Directorate of Security (NDS) which was signed in May this year. According to the MoU, both intelligence agencies agreed to cooperate with each other in the fight against terrorism in bordering areas of Pakistan and Afghanistan.
Aziz also announced that the Afghan minister for finance will visit Pakistan in the first week of November.
RECA MOOT:
Addressing the participants of the Sixth Regional Economic Conference on Afghanistan (RECA) in Kabul earlier in the day, Sartaj Aziz reaffirmed Pakistan’s support for reconstruction, development and progress of Afghanistan.
“Pakistan is working on a number of cross-border and trans-regional connectivity projects, including infrastructure, energy and promotion of trade and investment,” the prime minister’s top aide remarked.
RECCA has evolved into a dynamic platform, which has done a commendable work in crafting a vision and a roadmap of developmental projects complementing the Afghanistan’s National Development Strategy, Aziz said.
Further, the adviser claimed that Pakistan fully subscribes to the core objectives of RECCA for promoting robust and multi-dimensional development cooperation with Afghanistan.
At the start of his speech, Aziz lauded Afghan President Ghani for sharing his vision to make Afghanistan a development and regionally integrated country. “Pakistan fully supports this forward-looking and progressive vision, and the plans for regional connectivity.”
The top Pakistan diplomat apprised the participants of the meeting about the progress of various projects between the two countries. “We have expedited work on rail connectivity projects, including Peshawar-Jalalabad and Chaman-Spinboldak Rail Links between Pakistan and Afghanistan.”
Aziz went on to add that Pakistan is working on the feasibility study for Peshawar-Kabul Motorway, saying the country is committed to extend the road networks to Central Asia.
Commenting on the role of China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), the adviser suggested that it can play a transformative role not only for Pakistan but for the whole region. “Once it is implemented, the CPEC would provide a competitive transit route for trade between western China, Central Asia and Afghanistan.”
The prime minister’s adviser reiterated Pakistan’s resolve to enhance assistance for training of Afghan civil servants including diplomats and police. “We would also impart training to doctors, paramedical staff, teachers, postal, banking, railways, customs and civil aviation officials,” he said.
