DUSHANBE: Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi met with Afghan President Ashraf Ghani today (Tuesday) on the sidelines of the 9th Ministerial Conference of the Heart of the Asia – Istanbul Process in Dushanbe, Tajikistan.
Matters pertaining to bilateral relations, including political and diplomatic engagement, economic cooperation, defence ties, and the Afghan peace process were discussed during the meeting.
The Foreign Minister expressed Pakistan’s desire for a peaceful and stable Afghanistan. “Pakistan considered peace in Afghanistan vital for sustainable stability in the region,” FM Qureshi added.
Expressing concern over the rising incidents of violence in Afghanistan, the foreign minister said that Pakistan’s position remained the same that the Afghan problem could not be solved through military options.
“Pakistan supported a political solution to the Afghan problem through comprehensive dialogue,” he said, adding that positive developments as a result of intra-Afghan talks could help bring the Afghan peace process to a logical conclusion.
He said Pakistan was a partner for peace in Afghanistan and towards that end, Pakistan was constructively engaged with the international community to reinforce the efforts for peace.
The Foreign Minister further underlined that Intra-Afghan Negotiations in Doha achieved progress which should lay the foundation to take the process forward He expressed hope that as the peace efforts moved forward, the Afghans would make important decisions for reaching the negotiated political settlement.
Highlighting the importance of the regional connectivity, the foreign minister said that durable process in Afghanistan would enhance opportunities for working together on infrastructure and energy connectivity between Central Asia and West Asia through Afghanistan.
Qureshi arrived in Dushanbe on Monday where he will represent Pakistan at the Conference and highlighted the country’s role in Afghan peace and the future strategy to contribute to the sustainable stability of the country.
Foreign Minister Qureshi also held a separate meeting with Afghan Foreign Minister Haneef Atmar to discuss bilateral relations and the Afghan peace process.
Qureshi arrived in Dushanbe on Monday where he participated in the Conference and highlighted the country’s role in Afghan peace and the future strategy to contribute to sustainable stability of the country.
