close
Wednesday February 19, 2025

Pakistan supports peaceful, prosperous Afghanistan: FM

By Mariana Baabar
March 31, 2021

ISLAMABAD: Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi said that Pakistan would continue to support a peaceful, stable, united, democratic, sovereign and prosperous Afghanistan, at peace with itself and with its neighbours.

“The Afghan peace process stands at a defining juncture and after having faced conflict and instability for over 40 years, it has never been so close to turning the tide. We have arrived at this stage, guided by the conviction that there is no military solution to the conflict in Afghanistan. It is imperative that this belief continues to guide the Afghan parties, and the international community supporting the aspirations of the Afghan people”, said Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi while addressing at 9th Heart of Asia – Istanbul Process Ministerial Conference, in Dushanbe.

Qureshi said that Pakistan had consistently urged them to remain constructively engaged for securing a positive outcome.

Pakistan’s eight point suggestions for moving forward were spelt out by the Foreign Minister in which it first and foremost asked for an orderly and responsible withdrawal of US troops from Afghanistan while also making sure reduction in violence and ceasefire are achieved at the earliest.

Further, the suggestions asked for consolidating and building upon the progress made through the Doha process, preserving the international community’s investment and the consequent development gains made over the years, culminating the Afghan-led, Afghan-owned process into a sustainable political solution, securing the international community’s financial engagement to support Afghanistan in its post-conflict path to progress, planning long-term reconstruction and economic development for Afghanistan, and finally creating pull factors for the Afghan refugees to return to their homeland with dignity and honour through a time-bound and well-resourced plan.

“For us, Afghanistan is an important neighbour and a brotherly country with strong historical links. No other nation could claim to have such immutable bonds with Afghanistan, and thus more desirous of peace and progress in Afghanistan, than Pakistan”, said Qureshi. He pointed out that the progress in talks so far has created a historic opportunity for the Afghan leadership to achieve an inclusive, broad-based and comprehensive negotiated political settlement.

“Our message to all of them is to take the process forward through good faith, substantive and result-oriented negotiations”, he said. Pakistan once again cautioned against the role of ‘spoilers’ inside and outside Afghanistan. “We remain deeply concerned about the continuation of violence across Afghanistan, resulting in loss of precious lives. We fear that any space gained by ISIS and al-Qaeda could accentuate the threat of terrorism. We are concerned that the risks posed by damaged infrastructure and lack of economic opportunities may undermine the gains made in the peace process”, he said.

Besides facilitating the peace process, the foreign minister said Pakistan also extending all possible support to Afghanistan including a commitment of $1 billion for Afghanistan’s development and reconstruction while $500 million have already been spent on infrastructure and capacity-building projects.

A new visa regime has been instituted to facilitate travel and despite COVID-19, Pakistan has also opened five border crossing-points to facilitate bilateral and transit trade. “We are engaged with Afghanistan on revision of the Transit Trade Agreement. Pakistan has also operationalised Gwadar seaport for Afghan Transit Trade. Pakistan is keen to move forward on regional connectivity and energy projects such as CASA-1000 and TAPI”, he added.

Under the Heart of Asia-Istanbul Process, Pakistan is a participant in all CBMs and a lead country in Disaster Management & Environmental Protection and Agricultural Development. “We believe our cooperation in developing agriculture in the HoA region will contribute in enhancing prosperity and improving livelihood in the region. All these steps are practical manifestations of our resolve to build close cooperative ties with Afghanistan”, he said.