Veteran Afghan politician and Hezb-i-Islami chief Gulbuddin Hekmatyar, who arrived in Islamabad on a three-day go to earlier on Monday, mentioned Afghans consider Pakistan as their second residence, an announcement issued by the International Workplace mentioned.
Hekmatyar made these feedback throughout a gathering with Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi on the FO.
In the course of the assembly, the 2 mentioned issues of mutual curiosity, bilateral relations between the 2 international locations and the Afghan peace course of, the assertion added. The overseas minister mentioned Pakistan will proceed to play the function of a facilitator within the Afghan peace course of.
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“Prime Minister Imran Khan has said lasting peace can only be achieved through a political settlement accepted by the people of Afghanistan,” Qureshi mentioned, including that he was happy that Islamabad’s stance was now being recognised by the world.
“Intra-Afghan talks provide a unique opportunity to the leadership for establishing lasting peace in the country,” the overseas minister mentioned.
Throughout his go to, the Afghan chief is anticipated to satisfy President Dr Arif Alvi and Prime Minister Imran Khan along with Senate Chairman Sadiq Sanjrani and Nationwide Meeting Speaker Asad Qaiser amongst others.
He’s additionally anticipated to talk at a programme of a coverage think-tank the place he’ll work together with the media.
In an announcement issued on Sunday, the FO had mentioned Hekmatyar’s go to would supply a chance for exchanging views on the Afghan peace course of, strengthening bilateral relations between the 2 international locations in addition to people-to-people interplay.
Hekmatyar, who twice served as Afghan prime minister in 1990s, had not too long ago mentioned that India, attributable to its rivalry with Pakistan, was dissatisfied with the peace course of in Afghanistan and it had began supporting native militias to behave as spoilers of the peace course of.
“China and Pakistan have a common and coordinated position on Afghanistan and not only do they support the peace process, rather they see it as beneficial for their regional interests, especially if it leads to a reduction in India’s presence in Afghanistan,” the Afghan chief had mentioned.
Hekmatyar’s go to comes a number of weeks after Chairman of Afghanistan’s Excessive Council for Nationwide Reconciliation Dr Abdullah Abdullah visited Pakistan.
Hours earlier than returning to Kabul after finishing his three-day go to, the Afghan chief had mentioned: “We had good discussions, extensive discussions with authorities, civilian and military, and in most of the case for example on the need for reduction in violence, the need for getting to ceasefire, on the need for showing flexibility […] we are on the same page.”
Abdullah’s go to, his first to Pakistan in his new function, was meant to hunt Islamabad’s cooperation for what he had mentioned in his speech on the Institute of Strategic Research, Islamabad “to see the process through to the next stage”.
For that to occur an equal emphasis was positioned by either side on exploring potentialities for enhancing Pak–Afghan bilateral ties that had been marred by distrust and acrimony for a very long time. Either side, by the top of the go to, instructed that floor had been ready for turning the web page in bilateral relations.
‘Pakistan eager to see peace course of transfer ahead’
Additionally on Monday, the United Nations secretary common’s particular consultant for Afghanistan (SRSG), Deborah Lyons, known as on Foreign Minister Qureshi.
In the course of the assembly, Qureshi appreciated the function of the UN Help Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) in supporting Afghanistan’s socio-economic improvement, in line with an FO assertion.
Highlighting Pakistan’s function to facilitate the Afghan peace course of, the minister mentioned Pakistan was eager to see the method transfer ahead “which might assist in discount in violence and deny house to ‘spoilers’ who didn’t want to see return of peace and stability within the area”.
He additionally detailed the steps taken by Pakistan to help Afghanistan in transit commerce and motion of individuals, regardless of the challenges posed by the Covid-19 pandemic, the press launch mentioned.
“Reaffirming Pakistan’s commitment for safe and dignified return of Afghan refugees to their homeland, the foreign minister urged UNAMA to play an active role in helping with [a] time-bound and well-resourced refugee return and their sustainable reintegration in the Afghan society,” it added.
