ISLAMABAD, Pakistan: The Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi has reaffirmed Pakistan’s desire to further strengthen the close fraternal relations between Pakistan and Afghanistan.
Talking to the leader of Hezb-e-Islami of Afghanistan Gulbuddin Hekmatyar who along with a delegation met him at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Islamabad on Monday, Qureshi underscored the historic ties of amity and brotherhood between Pakistan and Afghanistan.
The foreign minister emphasized that Pakistan has always supported a peaceful, stable, united, democratic, sovereign, and prosperous Afghanistan. He said that Prime Minister Imran Khan has consistently underlined that there is no military solution to the conflict in Afghanistan.
Qureshi added that Pakistan facilitated the process that culminated in the US-Taliban Peace Agreement in Doha on February 29, 2020 and supported the commencement of Intra-afghan negotiations.
Shah Mahmood Qureshi stressed the importance of an inclusive, broad-based and comprehensive political settlement through an Afghan-led and Afghan-owned process.
The minister underscored that all parties must honour their respective commitments and work for a reduction in the violence leading to a ceasefire. He said that the Afghan leaders must seize this historic opportunity to achieve durable and sustainable peace in Afghanistan.
The foreign minister also underlined the importance of exercising vigilance and guarding against the role of ‘spoilers’, both within and outside.
Shah Mahmood Qureshi highlighted the steps taken by Pakistan to support Afghanistan on its path to reconstruction and economic development as well as for improved transit and bilateral trade relations.
Qureshi underlined the importance of making the return of Afghan refugees to their homeland with dignity and honour a part of the peace process.
The Hezb-e-Islami Leader Gulbuddin Hekmatyar is on a three-day visit to Pakistan.
During the visit, he will have meetings with political and parliamentary leadership and other dignitaries.
