Zubair Qureshi
Former Foreign Secretary Ambassador Salman Bashir has warned that the international and regional spoilers conspiring against Afghan peace process would themselves be the biggest losers in the end game.
He was addressing the launch of Pakistan’s former ambassador to Afghanistan, ex-Ambassador Syed Abrar Hussain’s book “Afghanistan: Mulla Umer se Ashraf Ghani Tak” recently published by IPS Press – the publishing arm of Institute of Policy Studies (IPS). The launching ceremony also featured a roundtable discussion on the recent developments on Afghanistan after 19 years of US invasion.
Former Ambassador Syed Abrar Hussain has served as a Pakistani representative in Afghanistan on more than one occasion, whereas his services in the Foreign Ministry also had a lot to do with the country’s affairs. The writer witnessed history being made during all this time, while having an opportunity to observe various landmark events very closely.
Personal accounts of historic events from Mulla Umar’s era and during Ashraf Ghani’s time, a rich commentary on the history of Pak-Afghan relations and also insights into the Afghan peace process are key features of the fascinating memoirs. The author has also presented an admissible strategy at the end of the publication for the amelioration of Pak-Afghan relations, which should be looked at by the policy circles of both sides with sincerity and honesty
Chaired and hosted by Khalid Rahman, Executive President, IPS, the session was addressed, among others, by former Ambassador Abdul Basit, former Ambassador Ayaz Wazir, Brig (R) Said Nazir Mohmand, Air Cdr (R) Khalid Iqbal, Ammara Durrani, senior research fellow, Jinnah Institute, Afghan scholars Professor Haroon Khatibi.
