Afghan delegation arrives in Pakistan for dialogue

ISLAMABAD: An Afghan delegation of political leaders, parliamentarians, retired army officers, members of civilian society and journalists arrived in Pakistan on Tuesday for four-day Track-II dialogue to explore ways for bringing people of the two countries closer, organizers said.

The dialogue known as Beyond Boundaries, is being organized by the Islamabad-based think tank Centre for Research and Security Studies (CRSS) and the Kabul-based research center Organization for Economic Studies and Peace (OESP) at a time when the Taliban and the United States are believed to be closer to concluding the much-anticipated peace deal.

Project Director at the CRSS Aized Ali said delegates at the dialogue will also meet Pakistani officials and visit universities besides holding bilateral discussions on key issues including the peace process, Pakistan-Afghan relations, problems of the Afghan refugees, students and also visa issues.

Ali told Xinhua that a 13-member Afghan delegation is led by former member of the parliament Khalid Pashtoon.

Ali said the delegates will also have interactions in leading universities in the Pakistani capital and the aim is to sensitize them on the developments in the Pak-Afghan relations and joint stakes for regional peace, so that conversation could be taken forward to the classroom settings and youth can be cognizant of the need for friendly neighborhood, and complexities of bilateral relations.

The delegates will also discuss the impact on Pak-Afghan relations of Afghan President Ashraf Ghani’s successful visit to Pakistan in June this year.

Prime Minister Imran Khan and Ghani had agreed that the relationship of equality and cooperation can be developed through systematic mechanisms for political, trade, energy, peace and prosperity cooperation. Ali said the delegates will also review issues related to over two million Afghan refugees still living in Pakistan, visa issues, problems of businessmen, difficulties in transit trade.A joint statement will be issued at the conclusion of the dialogue.