News
Pakistan ready to facilitate Afghan peace negotiations
* FO reiterates any reconciliation process has to be Afghan-led and Afghan-owned * Islamabad welcomes forthcoming visit of New Delhi’s top diplomat
By Sardar Sikander Shaheen
ISLAMABAD: The Foreign Office has said that Pakistan, as a neighbour and as a country that has vital stakes in peace and stability in Afghanistan, is ready to facilitate the reconciliation process to the extent possible. Foreign Office spokeswoman Tasnim Aslam told journalists in the weekly media briefing on Friday that peace and stability in Afghanistan were very important for Pakistan. “We believe it is for the Afghan government to lead the efforts for reconciliation in Afghanistan... Any reconciliation process has to be Afghan-led and Afghan-owned,” she said, adding that Pakistan was ready to provide any assistance it could. Earlier on Thursday, the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) issued a similar kind of a statement in support of peace talks between the Afghan government and the Afghan Taliban. “Pakistan has always supported such a process, and re-emphasised it (peace process) to be absolutely transparent, Afghan-owned and Afghan-led. We hope all stakeholders will continue to act with responsibility [and] not allow detractors of peace to succeed,” the ISPR statement said. Meanwhile, welcoming the forthcoming visit of New Delhi’s top diplomat, the FO spokeswoman said that issues between the two sides needed to be resolved through dialogue for regional stability, peace and prosperity. “We have never shied away from engaging India,” she said. “We welcome the decision of the prime minister of India to send the foreign secretary to Pakistan. Pakistan believes that the issues and disputes between Pakistan and India need to be resolved through dialogue for peace, stability and prosperity in the region.” Also, the FO spokeswoman came hard on New Delhi, saying there was no progress on the probe into Samjhota Express terrorist attack incident whose eighth anniversary was on Friday. “Outcome of the investigations into Samjhota Express terrorist attack has not been shared with Pakistan, despite assurances at the highest political level. There has been no progress reported in the investigations, let alone trial. We are concerned at the lack of progress in the investigations despite a lapse of over eight years. On the anniversary of the incident, we reiterate our demand that the government of India expeditiously conclude the investigations and punish the perpetrators.”
Courtesy www.dailytimes.com.pk