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Pakistan reiterates its full support for Afghan reconciliation process
APPISLAMABAD - Reiterating its full support and cooperation to the Afghan reconciliation process, Pakistan offered assistance in this process in all manners and said it should be Afghan-owned and Afghan-led. Commenting on the reports of fresh round of talks between Afghan Taliban and United States in Qatar, Foreign Office Spokesperson Tasnim Aslam in weekly briefing here on Friday, said that Pakistan always supported the reconciliation process. “Our point is very clear that peace and stability in Afghanistan is important for Pakistan,” she said. “We do believe that Afghanistan government should lead the reconciliation process.” She said that recently the foreign secretary visited Afghanistan and discussed the issue of repatriation of Afghan refugees. Under an agreement between Pakistan, Afghanistan and UNHCR, she said that all the Afghan refugees had to be repatriated by December 31, 2015. She said that a delegation from Afghanistan will soon visit Pakistan to discuss the issue of repatriation of these refugees. She said that UNHCR and Afghan government should ensure a pull factor so that these Afghan refugees could go back. The spokesperson said that Minister for Interior Affairs Chaudhry Nisar is on official visit to United States to attend a conference on counter-terrorism. The spokesperson while appreciating the decision of Indian government to send their foreign secretary to Pakistan, said that when they will meet they will discuss all the issues. She said that all the issues and disputes between Pakistan and India should be resolved through dialogue. She said that Pakistan never stayed away to engage with India to discuss all the issues and disputes. She said that the dates and agenda for foreign secretary level talks between India and Pakistan had not been yet finalised. Replying to a question about the visit of General (retired) Durrani to India, the spokesperson said that there are many options being ustilised for Track-II diplomacy but added that these could not be a substitute for formal dialogue between the two counties. To another question about the Samjohta Express incident, the spokesperson said that India has not shared the investigation. She said that despite highest level assurance by the leadership of India the investigation has not been shared by Pakistan at any level. She said that no progress has been made even at the level of investigation of the incident and urged India to complete the investigation and punish the culprits. Regarding boat incident, the spokesperson said that Pakistan conducted its own investigation into the issue and the authorities confirmed that no boat from Pakistan was found missing at that time. Responding to a query about the reservations of European Parliament delegation regarding death penalty, the spokesperson said, “EU had its own position on it and Pakistan has its own position.” She said that the death sentence was being given only in the cases of terrorism adding “we are not violating any international law.” She explained that Military Courts have been established to conduct trial of the terrorists and these courts had been established through an act of the parliament.
Courtesy www.dailytimes.com.pk