Staff Reporter
Islamabad
Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi has assured the world that Pakistan would stand by a democratic Afghanistan which was at peace with itself and its neighbours, as the historic intra-Afghanistan peace talks begin in Doha.
He was speaking through video link in the opening ceremony of Intra-Afghan negotiations in Doha. Shah Mahmood Qureshi said that holding of these negotiations is an important milestone in establishing peace in Afghanistan.
The foreign minister noted that Pakistani citizens and law enforcement personnel have rendered invaluable sacrifices in the war against terrorism.
The foreign mi-nister paid tribute to Pakistan’s efforts for bringing about peace in Afghanistan, saying that everyone’s joint efforts were paying off as both sides take to the table for talks. He said that durable
peace in Afghanistan was in Pakistan’s interest.
Speaking about the world’s attitude over the past couple of decades towards Afghanistan, he said that it was imperative that the mistakes of the past were not repeated and the Afghan people were not abandoned.
“The progress achieved should not be wasted. A prosperous and peaceful Afghanistan will bring new opportunities for the people and would also open new vistas of cooperation and connectivity in the region and beyond,” he said.
Suggesting a four-pronged way forward, the minister called upon the international community and all concerned to come forward and continue to support the Afghan-led and Afghan-owned peace process while respecting the consensus that emerges from the intra-Afghan negotiations.
Secondly, he called upon the global community to ensure that Afghanistan neither witnesses the violence of the days in the past again nor becomes a space for elements to harm other countries beyond its borders.
Thirdly, he said it was important to deepen and sustain economic engagements with Afghanistan for its reconstruction and economic development and lastly, to ensure a well-resourced and time-bound return of Afghan refugees to their homeland with dignity and honour.
“At this moment of hope, I’ll reassure my Afghan brethren that Pakistan will always show full support and solidarity with them as they continue their momentous journey on the path of peace, security, and development,” the minister affirmed.
The Foreign Minister called the negotiations a golden opportunity for the Afghan leadership to pave the way for durable peace in Afghanistan. He reiterated that Pakistan sincerely played its reconciliatory role in Afghan peace process as a shared responsibility, and it will continue doing so.
FM Qureshi also urged international community to play its due role to take the peace process to its logical conclusion. He said the mistakes of the past should not be repeated so that dream of peace in Afghanistan is materialized.
