Peace in Afghanistan means peace in Pakistan, Chief of Army Staff (COAS) General Qamar Javed Bajwa said on Thursday as he met Afghan Ambassador to Pakistan Najibullah Ali Khil.
During meeting with the Afghan Ambassador, who called on General Qamar Javed Bajwa at General Headquarters (GHQ), matters of mutual interest, regional security situation including Afghan peace process, enhanced bilateral security and defence cooperation and effective border management between the two brotherly countries were discussed, said an Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) media release. The COAS reiterated that peace in Afghanistan means peace in Pakistan. “Our sole aim is to help Afghans achieve a peaceful, sovereign, democratic, stable and prosperous Afghanistan,” he said.
The visiting dignitary appreciated Pakistan’s contributions for conflict prevention in the region and relentless support provided in Afghan peace process.
Last week, US Charge d’ Affairs to Pakistan Angela Ageler had also appreciated Pakistan’s efforts in the Afghan peace process during her meeting with COAS Gen Bajwa. The ISPR, in a statement, had said during the meeting, matters of mutual interest and overall regional security situation including recent developments in the Afghan peace process were discussed. The army chief had welcomed US President Joe Biden’s announcement to withdraw American forces from Afghanistan by September 11, 2021, the ISPR had said. Gen Bajwa reiterating that a prosperous, stable, and peaceful Afghanistan is in the best interest of Pakistan in particular and the region in general, hoped for greater Pak-US bilateral cooperation in all domains in the future.
The foreign ministers of Afghanistan, Pakistan and Turkey will hold talks in Istanbul on Friday, after a wider Afghan peace conference was postponed because the Taliban said they would not participate.The planned peace talks in Turkey were scheduled for April 24 to fast-track an agreement between the Taliban and Afghan government in light of the announcement by Washington that foreign troops would leave Afghanistan by Sep 11. No new date has been set for those talks. Turkey’s foreign ministry said Friday’s three-way meeting would cover “recent developments regarding the Afghan peace process, cooperation in the fields of security, energy, connectivity and irregular migration.” On Monday, Pakistan had urged the Taliban to remain engaged in the Afghan peace process after the armed group said it would now shun summits about Afghanistan until all foreign forces leave.
The decision was taken after the United States said last week it would withdraw all troops by Sept. 11 this year, later than a May 1 deadline set out by the previous administration.
