Pakistan and Afghanistan on Friday discussed ways and means to take effective and concrete measures against the common enemies of extremism and terrorism to ensure peace and security in the region.
“The terrorism is a common enemy and both the countries had agreed to take joint and effective measures to curb it and fight the militancy for the safety and security of people of both the countries,” said Foreign Secretary Salman Bashir and Afghan Deputy Foreign Minister Jaweed Lodin while addressing a joint press conference after completion of second meeting of the Joint Peace Commission.
The Joint Peace Commission was constituted by the two countries to carry forward the reconciliation process, following the withdrawal of foreign troops from Afghanistan. It was the second meeting of the two-tier Afghanistan-Pakistan Joint Commission for facilitating and promoting reconciliation and peace process.
The Afghan deputy foreign minister said the reconciliation process led by and owned by Afghan people and leadership will be the final solution to the problems and all those countries helping in this regard had to understand that they would have to following this Afghan led and Afghan owned reconciliation process.
Answering a question about reports of direct links between United States and Taliban leaders for reconciliation, the Afghan Deputy Foreign Minister said, “Its reconciliation process led by and owned by Afghan people and leadership and all those helping us in this process they will have to streamline in our efforts, and ultimately there will be a single peace process.”
Replying to a question, he said, there was progress in the second meeting as some concrete steps and proposals were identified to take action against extremist elements and for the success of the reconciliation process. He said that practical action would be seen before the leaders of Pakistan and Afghanistan will meet next month to review the progress of the Joint Peace Commission.
The Afghan Deputy Foreign Minister said both Pakistan and Afghanistan have to take the strategical affairs in their own hands and take the decisions according to the aspirations of the people of the region. “We also discussed various elements of reconciliation process,” he said. He reiterated the need for taking urgent measures to ensure peace and security in the region to take benefit from the potential available in the region and for the progress and prosperity of the people adding that time is running out.
“Pakistan’s support and cooperation is vital for the Afghan led and Afghan owned reconciliation process,” said Afghan minister. He said, “We will be able to make progress in this reconciliation process” which is basically for those elements who are not in main stream political set up of Afghanistan. Replying to a question, he said, “Afghan government is facing problems due to presence of extremist elements in our side and had cleared to Pakistan that terrorism is a common enemy.”
He however said, “we have also been affected from cross border infiltration.” Replying to question about blame game, the Afghan Deputy Foreign Minister said, “We haven’t engaged in any blame game” and not worried about allegations of blame game by others. On the question of release of the Pakistani children kidnapped by Taliban and kept in Afghanistan, he said, Afghanistan has been making sincere efforts for the safe release of these children and will do what ever is possible in this regard.
Foreign Secretary Salman Bashir said both the countries have discussed in detail the modalities and possibilities to take joint action against terrorism. He said the representatives of the two countries, discussed the regional situation and bilateral matters in a frank and open atmosphere. Salman said despite challenges being faced by the two countries, they have shared history, geography and faith to take actions against the extremist elements for the security and peace in the region.
He said although there has been tri-lateral, and multi-lateral negotiations on Afghan issue, but the most important and relevant is bilateral and both the countries are engaged with each other under the Joint Peace Commission constituted by the leadership of two countries in this regard. He said both the countries today reaffirmed their mutual desire and determination to continue coordination on behalf of their leaders for ensuring peace and security in the region.
