ISLAMABAD – Foreign office spokesperson Dr Muhammad Faisal says Pakistanwill continue to play a constructive role for promoting peace andreconciliation process in Afghanistan to bring lasting peace and stabilityto the region.
Speaking at his weekly press briefing in Islamabad on Thursday thespokesperson said Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi has paid a verysuccessful shuttle visit to Kabul, Tehran, Beijing and Moscow and it wouldhelp generate consensus among all the stake holders to advance the peaceprocess in Afghanistan.
He said the visit was essentially part of government’s policy to strengthenrelations with all neighbors and regional countries.
He said as part of the same effort the Foreign Minister will also visitQatar soon.
The spokesperson said Pakistan’s longstanding position to give peace andreconciliation a real chance in Afghanistan has become the basis for aninternational consensus.
He said recent developments in Afghanistan which include Moscow FormatConsultations, Geneva conference on Afghanistan and the Abu Dhabi meetinghave all led to this widely acknowledged agreement.
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Dr Muhammad Faisal said the new opening in Afghanistan and willingness ofall countries who agree on Pakistan’s important role as facilitator, hasprovided a significant opportunity to also strengthen our bilateralrelations with all the neighbors especially for promotion of trade,economic and people to people linkages.
He said this shuttle diplomacy also provided an opportunity to listen toviews of the leadership in these countries for promoting a joint regionalapproach in Afghanistan and explore realistic possibilities of regionalintegration in economic terms.
The spokesperson said the purpose of Foreign Minister’s whirlwind visit wastwo-fold including strengthening of regional consensus on Afghanistan thatis the key for medium to long-term stability of an Afghan-led andAfghan-owned solution to exploring possibilities of win-win framework forregional connectivity and economic development to help achieve the ultimateobjective of economic growth and prosperity in the region.
Responding to a question the spokesperson categorically stated that Indiahas no role to play in Afghanistan.
