RAWALPINDI: Foreign Minister of Italy Luigi Di Maio called on Chief of Army Staff (COAS) General Qamar Javed Bajwa on Monday to discuss the ongoing situation in Afghanistan, Inter Services Public Relations (ISPR) said in a statement.
According to ISPR, matters of mutual interest, regional security, the current situation in Afghanistan, and collaboration in humanitarian assistance for Afghanistan were discussed during the meeting.
COAS Qamar Bajwa said that Pakistan values its relations with Italy and they earnestly look forward to enhancing mutually beneficial multi-domain relations based on common interest.
The foreign minister of Italy appreciated Pakistan’s role in the Afghan situation including successful evacuation operations, efforts for regional stability and pledged to play their role for further improvement in diplomatic cooperation with Pakistan at all levels.
Later in the day, Luigi Di Maio called on Prime Minister Imran Khan.Views were exchanged on the latest developments in Afghanistan as well as bilateral relations.
The Prime Minister said that Pakistan had suffered enormously due to protracted conflict and instability in Afghanistan. As such, a peaceful, secure and stable Afghanistan was in the best interest of Pakistan as well as regional countries. The Prime Minister noted that, at this critical juncture, it was vital to stabilize the security situation in Afghanistan, take steps to consolidate peace, and preclude any mass exodus of refugees. In this context, preventing humanitarian crisis and stabilizing the economy were the most urgent priorities.
The Prime Minister stressed that the international community must stand in solidarity with the Afghan people, undertake positive engagement, and create incentives for ensuring sustainable peace, stability and economic development in Afghanistan.
In the bilateral context, the Prime Minister stated that Italy was a vital partner for Pakistan and stressed the importance of enhanced collaboration in diverse areas, including trade and investments, defence, and people-to-people contacts. The Prime Minister also highlighted that the large Pakistani diaspora in Italy constituted a strong bridge between the two countries.
Foreign Minister Luigi Di Mario thanked Pakistan for the facilitation of its evacuation operations. He underscored Italy’s commitment to enhance bilateral cooperation in diverse fields.
The Italian Foreign Minister also conveyed invitation to the Prime Minister to visit Italy. The Prime Minister extended invitation for Prime Minister Mario Draghi to visit Pakistan.–ISPR
