Pak-Afghan ministers discuss educational cooperation

Islamabad: A five-member Afghan delegation led by Minister of Higher Education Alhaj Abdul Baqi Haqqani called on Federal Minister for Education and Vocational Training Shafqat Mahmood at the ministry here on Wednesday.

Welcoming the delegation, Federal Minister Shafqat Mahmood said the Taliban government was closest to the heart of Pakistanis. "Our prime minister has repeatedly emphasised that we will support the present Afghan government for the country's development in all possible ways," he said.

The minister said the number of higher education scholarships for Afghan students had been increased to 4,500 for the next three years and it would further go up in future. "We will do our best to help Afghan students through vocational training. In addition, Pakistani institutions will provide full support to their brotherly country for faculty development and teacher training in Afghanistan."

Afghan minister Abdul Baqi Haqqani thanked Minister Shafqat Mahmood and said Pakistan and Afghanistan are two parts of one body which cannot be separated. "We [Afghan Taliban] trust Pakistan more than any other country. India had given 1000 scholarships to Afghanistan in the last few years with the main purpose to promote anti-Pakistan sentiments in the new generation of Afghanistan, but the Taliban government is determined to promote pro-Pakistan sentiments by better education," he said.

Haqqani said Afghanistan needed Pakistan's support for reconstruction and development. He informed his host in writing about Afghan issues and demands regarding education. Shafqat promised all possible cooperation for the purpose. The two reiterated their commitment to further strengthen the relationship and benefit from each other's experiences, and a memorandum of understanding will be signed soon.