Afghan peace vital for stable region, Alvi, FM tell envoy

ISLAMABAD: President Dr Arif Alvi has said that Islamabad attaches special importance to its relations with Kabul and is making sincere efforts to promote peace and stability in Afghanistan.
The President was talking to Ambassador-designate for Afghanistan Mansoor Ahmad Khan who called on him here on Monday.
The President said that peaceful and stable Afghanistan is not only in the interest of the two neighbouring countries but also of the entire region. He said that Pakistan and Afghanistan share a common culture and religion and relations between the two countries need to be further expanded.
He urged the ambassador-designate for Afghanistan to work for strengthening economic, political and public relations between the two neighbouring countries.
Earlier Ambassador-designate for Afghanistan Mansoor Ahmad Khan also called on the Foreign Minister Shah Memhood Qureshi.
Qureshi said that peace in Afghanistan is essential for peace and stability in the entire region. He said that Pakistan is facing several challenges at internal and external fronts.
Shah Mehmood Qureshi while congratulating Mansoor Ahmad Khan over his nomination as an ambassador to the neighbouring country said that this would be helpful in further strengthening bilateral relations between Pakistan and Afghanistan.
They also discussed matters with particular reference to Pakistan-Afghanistan bilateral relations and the Afghan peace process.
Last month, Pakistan participated in a virtual conference on Afghanistan, titled “Strengthening Consensus for Peace”, hosted by the government of Afghanistan.
Pakistan, in its statement, had emphasized the importance of a peaceful and stable Afghanistan for the overall prosperity and stability in the region and beyond. Pakistan also underlined its hope that the release of prisoners will be completed soon as per the peace agreement to pave way for the earliest commencement of Intra-Afghan negotiations. – TLTP