Stable Afghanistan in Pakistan’s interest: Gillani
- Posted by hasan on August 8th, 2008.
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Loading ...If you're new here, you may want to subscribe to my RSS feed or E-mail Newsletter. Thanks for visiting! Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gillani has said Pakistan attaches top priority to its relations with Afghanistan and wants to strengthen broad-based, close and cooperative relationship existing between both countries. The PM emphasised there is an urgent need to improve atmosphere and build more trust between Pakistan and Afghanistan to meet the challenges faced by the two countries more effectively. He said persistence of mistrust could spoil the atmosphere and run counter to their common cause of effective war against terrorism.The prime minister told the outgoing Afghan envoy to convey his message to President Karzai that if he took one step towards strengthening the bilateral relations Pakistan would take thousand steps towards the same goal. He said that Pakistan had suffered the most in the fight against terrorism and had lost its great leader Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto Shaheed. This is hence, our own fight and Pakistan is not fighting the war of any other country, he said. Gillani said Pakistan had proposed installation of biometric system to monitor cross-border movements at the Pak-Afghan border. He said he had also requested provision of devices to check illegal radio stations along the border areas of both the countries during his recent visit to the US. The prime minister said development of Reconstruction Opportunity Zones (ROZs) would play a major role in economic uplift of people of the bordering areas. The outgoing Afghan ambassador assured the prime minister that his government fully endorsed the need of close cooperation between the two countries. He said use of military force was not a solution and economic betterment of people would greatly help in fighting terrorism. The ambassador agreed with the prime minister that contact at various levels would help improve relations between the two countries. He called for progress in the relation on the basis of equality by addressing the grievances of both sides through negotiations. He promised he would convey the prime minister’s sentiments to his leadership. source: The Post
The PM said this talking to outgoing Afghan Ambassador Mohammad Anwar Anwarzai who paid a farewell call on him at the Prime Minister’s House.The prime minister said ties between both nations were rooted in shared faith, culture, history and heritage and Pakistan was keen to increase people-to-people contact. “Pakistan is committed to the process of engagement with Afghanistan at all levels and strongly believes that desire to see peaceful and stable Afghanistan is in its interest.” He added.Gillani recalled his recent cordial and constructive meeting with Afghan President Hamid Karzai in Colombo on the sideline of the SAARC Summit. He said he and the Afghan president had agreed on the need of reengaging all issues with a view to develop a common strategy to overcome challenges posed to the security and stability of the two countries. He said they had also agreed on rescheduling the Joint Ministerial Conference (JMC) and convening of a mini-jirga in the near future.
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