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Pakistan, Afghanistan set to open new chapter of tension-free ties
Xinhua

ISLAMABAD: After years of mistrust and tension-filled relations, there are now indications that Afghanistan’s new President Ashraf Ghani and Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif are ready to “bury the hatchet,” open a new chapter in bilateral ties between the two neighbouring countries, and boost cooperation in the quest for peace and security in the region.
In a meeting with Sartaj Aziz, Pakistan’s top security adviser in Kabul Sunday, President Ghani emphasised that the two countries should discard the practice of blaming each other every time there is an attack by the Taliban on both sides of their border. “We must avoid accusing each other and must create an atmosphere of trust between us. Today, a new window has been opened in relations between the two countries. We hope that the new window will turn into a door and finally into a corridor of cooperation,” President Ghani told the Pakistani adviser using a metaphor. Ghani’s statement was posted online.
Aziz, who delivered Nawaz’s formal invitation for President Ghani to visit Pakistan, said he is optimistic that a meeting between the two leaders would result in the reconciliation between Kabul and Islamabad whose relationship has been marred by mistrust. “My visit and meetings were useful and successful beyond my expectations,” Aziz told Xinhua in a brief comment on his return to Islamabad. He said his visit provided an opportunity to explore options and to put in place a permanent mechanism to “address each other’s complaints and remove the mistrust.”
He said the proposed mechanism will be decided during the visit of President Ghani to Islamabad that would “take place very soon.” Pakistani and Afghan leaders are giving positive signals about the future relations of the two countries where tension over border and security issues had impacted negatively on their desire to cooperate in the fight against terrorism and violence perpetrated by the Taliban and other insurgent groups. The leaders of both countries realise that without enhanced cooperation they cannot hope to finally end the terrorist activities of the Taliban that have become a scourge in both countries, ruining their economies and subjecting their citizens to untold suffering.
It is widely believed that Afghanistan could face serious security challenges after the end of US-NATO combat mission this year, after which the Afghan forces will take the burden of ensuring the country’s security. The Taliban have shown no sign to stop fighting and Kabul would need Islamabad’s cooperation in the difficult reconciliation process. Afghan leaders have insisted that Pakistan still has a deep influence on the Afghan Taliban and the country’s role would be important to achieve the goal. In his farewell address last month, former President Hamid Karzai said that the keys to the reconciliation process with the Taliban are Pakistan and the United States.

 

Courtesy www.dailytimes.com.pk

 

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