ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s Special Representative to Afghanistan, Ambassador Asif Durrani, said that Islamabad desires peace and stability in Afghanistan.
He was speaking at a roundtable discussion on “Pak-Afghan Relations: Challenges and Opportunities” at the Institute of Regional Studies (IRS) today.
Asif Durrani articulated Pakistan’s aspiration for improved socioeconomic and political conditions in Afghanistan to facilitate the dignified return of over 3 million Afghan refugees currently residing in Pakistan.
He called upon the international community, particularly the UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR), to devise strategies for the refugees’ repatriation.
Highlighting the regional impact of terrorism originating from Afghanistan, he underscored the shared concerns of neighbouring countries such as China, Iran, Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan, urging the Afghan interim administration to take decisive action against terrorist groups.
Ambassador Durrani also acknowledged the Afghan interim administration’s efforts in poppy eradication, recognized at the recent UN Doha meeting.
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He urged for the removal of trade barriers between Pakistan and Afghanistan, facilitation of Pakistani goods transit through Afghanistan to Central Asia, and acceleration of regional connectivity initiatives like the Turkmenistan-Afghanistan-Pakistan-India (TAPI) gas pipeline and the CASA-1000 power transmission line.
Earlier, Pakistan’s former ambassador to Afghanistan Abrar Hussain also spoke on the occasion. He highlighted the importance of effective border management and applauded the diplomatic and people-to-people interactions between the two nations.
He called upon regional countries to support Afghanistan in enhancing its capacity to combat terrorism.
President IRS, Ambassador Jauhar Saleem, concluded by highlighting the deep-rooted ties and economic interdependence between Pakistan and Afghanistan. He identified terrorism as a primary obstacle in bilateral relations and urged the Afghan interim administration to fulfill its commitments to prevent the use of its territory for terrorism against any country, emphasizing that tackling terrorism would ultimately benefit Afghanistan itself.
