ISLAMABAD – Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi says Pakistan willcontinue to execute its joint responsibility for maintaining peace andstability in the region including Afghanistan.

Talking to Afghan Foreign Minister Salahuddin Rabbani on the sidelines ofthe OIC meeting in Istanbul, he said, from the first day, we are supporterof Afghan owned talks.

The Foreign Minister said establishment of peace in Afghanistan is not onlyimportant for Afghanistan but also imperative for development of the entireregion.

On the occasion, the Afghan Foreign Minister appreciated Pakistan’sendeavors for ensuring peace in Afghanistan.

Talking to his Iranian counterpart Javad Zarif on the sidelines of the OICmeeting, Mehmood Qureshi reiterated Pakistan’s commitment to improverelations with all regional countries, including Iran.

The two sides discussed Pak-Iran relations and overall issues of mutualinterest, including the regional situation.

The Iranian Foreign Minister endorsed the points raised by Shah MehmoodQureshi against the rising Islamophobia and assured his full cooperation inthis regard.

Foreign Minister Qureshi proposed that Pakistan, Iran and Turkey shoulddevise a joint course of action against rising intolerance against Islam inthe Western world.

Both Foreign Ministers agreed to increase Pak-Iran cooperation inmultidimensional areas for the promotion of bilateral ties.

The Iranian Foreign Minister especially thanked the armed forces andgovernment of Pakistan on retrieving four missing Iranian soldiers.