ISLAMABAD: The Foreign Office said on Thursday that Pakistan wants positive engagement with Afghanistan for peace and stability in the region.
In his weekly news briefing in Islamabad on Thursday‚ Foreign Office Spokesperson Aizaz Ahmad Chaudhry said Pakistan has exercised maximum restraint to the Afghan allegations on different occasions.
“We will continue to do that in future as well as we are sincere in seeking a peaceful settlement of Afghan issue,” the spokesperson said.
Chaudhry hoped both the countries will engage on an agenda ‚ which is beneficial for the whole region.
About the visit of Advisor on Foreign Affairs and National Security Sartaj Aziz to Kabul‚ the spokesperson said this was the first high level exchange between the two countries.
The spokesperson said Sartaj Aziz held meetings with the Afghan leadership in a cordial environment and handed over an invitation letter of the Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif to Afghan President Hamid Karzai to visit Pakistan.
Chaudhry said Hamid Karzai has accepted the invitation and dates are now being worked out.
“The two governments are constantly engaged in making that visit possible,” he said.
On drone attacks‚ the spokesperson said our policy on drone attacks is very clear. He said the new government has laid a great deal of emphasis on registering its viewpoint on drone attacks with the United States and the world at large.
The spokesperson maintained that “the drone attacks are in violation of our sovereignty and counterproductive. These strikes are not serving any objective rather carry humanitarian consequences.”
The foreign office spokesperson said this very viewpoint of Pakistan is being conveyed to the United States at all the forums.
