Kabul (TDI): Pakistan and Afghanistan on Saturday agreed to continue negotiations for resolving bilateral issues in a positive environment amid high-level meeting in Kabul.
Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar arrived in Kabul earlier today for a day-long trip to discuss security matters that could potentially lead to a thaw in ties between the two neighbors after protracted stalemate over Pakistan’s terrorism concerns.
The much-awaited trip follows the latest round of the Pakistan-Afghanistan Joint Coordination Committee (PAJCC) meeting in Kabul. Pakistan’s delegation was headed by Ambassador Sadiq Khan, the country’s special representative for Afghanistan.
Speaking to the media before his departure, Dar said that the two nations share deep-rooted brotherly relations which must be further enhanced.
He said that Islamabad has concerns regarding terrorism and talks will be held with the Afghan authorities on this matter.
“Our aim is to foster cooperation that serves the mutual interests of the peoples of both nations as well as the region,” he added.
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There are some reasons for the coldness in ties with Kabul in the last few years,” Dar said.
He continued, “I think that the security of Pakistan, the people, of their lives and their properties is very important. We have concerns regarding terrorism, which we will discuss.”
He said that there were vast opportunities for trade, economy, and investment between the two nations. “Our links with Central Asia can be done through rail, but unless Kabul becomes a partner, a railway link between Pakistan and Central Asia cannot be established without it,” he added.
He added that the potential in trade was not being utilized, adding that the Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and other stakeholders decided that we would engage with Afghanistan.
Dar also underlined the trade and investment ties between the two nations held earlier this week.
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Afghan Acting Minister for Industry and Commerce Nooruddin Azizi headed a high-level delegation to Pakistan to explore ways to strengthen trade ties.
Dar said that he was leaving with a “goodwill message” and added, “Both Muslim nations should become close partners of each other and do whatever is possible for the economic prosperity of the people of both sides.
