KABUL: Afghan President Ashraf Ghani has invited Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi to “initiate state to state comprehensive dialogue” for restoring peace in Afghanistan with Pakistan’s assistance.
The invitation was extended during Pakistan’s National Security Adviser Nasser Khan Janjua’s one-day trip to Kabul on Saturday.
Janjua met with President Ghani in the capital’s Dilkusha Palace.
Today, I received Pakistani NSA at Dilkusha palace. As a follow up to #Kabul process, I have extended an official invitation to Pakistani Prime Minister to visit #Afghanistan. This is to initiate state to state comprehensive dialogue. pic.twitter.com/3LuN3tJFq3
— Ashraf Ghani (@ashrafghani) March 17, 2018
The security adviser further said Pakistan is ready to make all possible efforts for lasting peace in Afghanistan.
Janjua also met his Afghan counterpart Haneef Atmar and discussed bilateral relations and regional security issues.
A spokesperson of the national security adviser observed that a peaceful Afghanistan is a guarantee to lasting peace at home.
The representatives of the neighbouring countries are expected to formulate a policy to work together and chalk out a way forward to improve bilateral relations and enhance cooperation.
On February 3, Pakistan’s Foreign Secretary Tehmina Janjua, while addressing the Afghanistan-Pakistan Action Plan for Solidarity (APAPS) in Kabul, remarked that Pakistan and Afghanistan instead of blame game should engage in concrete cooperation.
A top-level delegation of Pakistan’s civil and military leadership, led by Foreign Secretary Tehmina Janjua, had travelled to Afghanistan to attend the Pakistan-Afghanistan Joint Working Group meeting.
Foreign Office spokesperson Dr Mohammad Faisal said that Pakistan had proposed five joint working groups, focusing on ensuring a comprehensive engagement for countering terrorism, intelligence sharing, military, economy, trade and transit interaction, refugee repatriation and connectivity.
The FO spokesperson also reaffirmed that Pakistan will continue to support efforts for peace in Afghanistan, but the Afghan government needs to reach a settlement with different Afghan groups.