Observer Report
Islamabad
Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi has said that Pakistan considers holding intra-Afghan talks as a rare opportunity for lasting peace in Afghanistan. He stressed that the success of the intra-Afghan dialogue is essential for peace and stability in the region.
Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi had a telephone conversation with his Afghan counterpart Mohammad Hanif Atmar in which issues of mutual interest including bilateral relations and Afghan peace process were discussed.
Shah Mahmood while highlighting Pakistan’s policy to strengthen trade between the two countries, drew FM Atmar’s attention towards proposed establishment of Border Sustenance Markets. He underlined that it was a special initiative of the Prime Minister Imran Khan to boost local trade and economic activity in the border regions. The Foreign Minister expressed hope for the earliest finalization of the MoU.
Reiterating Pakistan’s consistent support to a peaceful, stable and prosperous Afghanistan, the Foreign Minister underlined that the Intra-Afghan Negotiations provided an historic opportunity for the Afghan leadership to achieve an inclusive, broad-based and comprehensive political settlement in Afghanistan.
Meanwhile, speaking to media in Islamabad, Shah Mahmood Qureshi said that the disagreement between Maryam Nawaz and Shahbaz Sharif over resignation from assemblies was now out in the open, while Bilawal Bhutto and Maulana Fazl-ur-Rehman also seemed divided on how to lead the ongoing movement.
“The disputes within the ranks of Pakistan Democratic Movement stand exposed as it is an unnatural and temporary alliance,” he maintained.
