Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi Friday reaffirmed Pakistan’s resolve to facilitate all efforts for a negotiated political settlement in Afghanistan.
The foreign minister, in a telephone call with Afghan Foreign Minister Hanif Atmar, also underlined the importance of exercising vigilance against the role of ‘spoilers’. The two foreign ministers exchanged greetings and good wishes on the eve of Nowruz. They exchanged views on the matters of mutual interest, including Pakistan-Afghanistan bilateral relations and latest status of Afghan peace process.
Qureshi said that the intra-Afghan negotiations provided historic opportunity to achieve an inclusive, broad-based and comprehensive political settlement in Afghanistan. He urged Afghan parties to work constructively for the shared objective of a stable and peaceful Afghanistan.
The foreign minister underscored the need to remain cognizant of the challenges and impediments on the way, which could be overcome through patience, perseverance and persistence. In the bilateral context, the foreign minister reiterated Pakistan’s commitment to forge closer cooperation with Afghanistan in all fields.
He underlined the importance of Afghanistan-Pakistan Action Plan for Peace and Solidarity (APAPPS) as a vital platform to carry forward bilateral cooperation on key tracks. Qureshi also emphasized the need for early conclusion of talks relating to the APTTA (Afghanistan-Pakistan Transit Trade Agreement). He extended invitation to Foreign Minister Atmar to visit Pakistan at the earliest convenience.
