ISLAMABAD: Pakistan said on Thursday that a conference of religious scholars (Ulema) from Afghanistan and Pakistan will be held in Kabul on March 10, with an aim to move forward with the peace and reconciliation process in Afghanistan, foreign office spokesman said.
In his weekly briefing to the press in Islamabad, Pakistan’s Foreign Office spokesman Moazzam Ali Khan said that both countries had principally reached agreement to hold the Ulema conference in Kabul on March 10.
Earlier this week, a delegation of Afghan ulema had traveled to Pakistan to finalise plans for the Kabul conference meant to denounce suicide attacks and other forms of violence in the name of Islam. However, the meeting was boycotted by a majority of Pakistani scholars after a dispute over whether to invite the Afghan Taliban in the Kabul conference.
A joint statement issued after the trilateral summit at Chequers hosted by the British prime minister earlier this month had also said that both Afghan and Pakistani presidents looked forward to the Ulema conference in early March.
During his briefing, Khan said that Pakistan has so far released 28 Afghan Taliban prisoners previously held under its detention.
The spokesman clarified that the foreign office had no connection to Jamiat-i-Ulema Islam Fazl (JUI-F) leader Maulana Fazlur Rehman’s recent visit to Qatar, reportedly for a meeting with the Afghan Taliban. JUI-F chief traveled to Doha of his own accord, said Khan.
Speaking about Kashmir, Khan said that Pakistan had not made any policy changes with regard to the disputed territory.
Pakistan desires a solution to the Kashmir dispute in line with the wishes of aspirations of the Kashmiri people and the resolutions of the United Nations, he said.
Pakistan calls on India to release all release of freedom leaders and urges it to put a stop to its oppressive measures in Kashmir, said Khan.
The spokesman also dismissed Indian concerns regarding Pakistan’s decision to transfer management of the deep-sea Gwadar port to China.
Khan said that Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas would undertake a two-day visit to Pakistan on Feb 16. Palestinian President will hold talks with the Pakistani leadership on the matters of mutual interest, he said.
DND
