-Qureshi highlights vitality of Intra-Afghan talks for establishing lasting peace
-Gulbuddin Hekmatyar says Afghans consider Pakistan as ‘second home’
By Our Diplomatic
Correspondent
ISLAMABAD: Veteran Afghan politician and Hezb-i-Islami leader Gulbuddin Hekmatyar, who arrived in Islamabad on a three-day visit earlier on Monday, said Afghans think of Pakistan as their second home, a statement issued by the Foreign Office said.
Hekmatyar made these comments during a meeting with Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi at the FO.
During the meeting, the two discussed matters of mutual interest, bilateral relations between the two countries and the Afghan peace process, the statement added. The foreign minister said Pakistan will continue to play the role of a facilitator in the Afghan peace process.
“Prime Minister Imran Khan has said lasting peace can only be achieved through a political settlement accepted by the people of Afghanistan,” Qureshi said, adding that he was pleased that Islamabad’s stance was now being recognised by the world. “Intra-Afghan talks provide a unique opportunity to the leadership for establishing lasting peace in the country,” the foreign minister said.
During his visit, the Afghan leader is expected to meet President Dr Arif Alvi and Prime Minister Imran Khan in addition to Senate Chairman Sadiq Sanjrani and National Assembly Speaker Asad Qaiser among others.
He is also expected to speak at a programme of a policy think-tank where he will interact with the media.
In a statement issued on Sunday, the FO had said Hekmatyar’s visit would provide an opportunity for exchanging views on the Afghan peace process, strengthening bilateral relations between the two countries as well as people-to-people interaction.
Hekmatyar, who twice served as Afghan prime minister in 1990s, had recently said that India, due to its rivalry with Pakistan, was dissatisfied with the peace process in Afghanistan and it had started supporting local militias to act as spoilers of the peace process. “China and Pakistan have a common and coordinated position on Afghanistan and not only do they support the peace process, rather they see it as beneficial for their regional interests, especially if it leads to a reduction in India’s presence in Afghanistan,” the Afghan leader had said.
Hekmatyar’s visit comes a few weeks after Chairman of Afghanistan’s High Council for National Reconciliation Dr Abdullah Abdullah visited Pakistan.
Hours before returning to Kabul after completing his three-day visit, the Afghan leader had said: “We had good discussions, extensive discussions with authorities, civilian and military, and in most of the case for example on the need for reduction in violence, the need for getting to ceasefire, on the need for showing flexibility we are on the same page.”
Abdullah’s visit, his first to Pakistan in his new role, was meant to seek Islamabad’s cooperation for what he had said in his speech at the Institute of Strategic Studies, Islamabad “to see the process through to the next stage”. For that to happen an equal emphasis was placed by both sides on exploring possibilities for improving Pak–Afghan bilateral ties that had been marred by mistrust and acrimony for a long time. Both sides, by the end of the visit, suggested that ground had been prepared for turning the page in bilateral relations.
Hekmatyar arrived in Islamabad on Monday on a three-day visit at the invitation of Qureshi to discuss Pakistan’s role in the peace process and bilateral relations.
The foreign minister said peace and stability in the region are linked to long-lasting peace in Afghanistan, adding that the Afghan leadership has an opportunity in the form of intra-Afghan talks to restore peace in Afghanistan. “Pakistan will continue its efforts for peace in the region, including Afghanistan,” Qureshi was quoted as saying.
Earlier on Sunday, the Pakistani foreign ministry said that Pakistan attaches high importance to its ties with Afghanistan, adding that Pakistan has consistently supported an inclusive, broad-based and comprehensive political settlement through an Afghan-led and Afghan-owned peace process.
Agencies add: Leader of Hezb-e-Islami of Afghanistan Gulbuddin Hekmatyar arrived in Islamabad Monday on a three-day visit to hold meetings with the Pakistani leadership.
On his arrival at the Ministry of Foreign Affair, senior officials received the visiting dignitary and his delegation.
In his meeting with Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi, the issues of mutual interest including Pak-Afghan bilateral relations and ongoing inter-Afghan peace talks were discussed.
Gulbuddin Hekmatyar said he considered Pakistan his “second home”.
The Foreign Minister welcomed Hezb-e-Islami Afghanistan chief Gulbuddin Hekmatyar and his delegation to the Foreign Ministry.
Qureshi said peace and stability in the region was linked to the lasting peace in Afghanistan.He said Pakistan was sincerely playing reconciliatory role in the Afghan peace process and would continue to do so in future. He mentioned that Prime Minister Imran Khan had clearly stated that political instead of a military solution was the only way forward towards sustainable peace of Afghanistan.
The Foreign Minister said the Afghan leadership had a rare opportunity to restore peace in their country.
Foreign Secretary Sohail Mahmood and Pakistan’s Special Representative for Afghanistan Muhammad Sadiq were also present in the meeting.
Later, the two sides held delegation-level talks.
The visit of Gulbuddin Hekmatyar, head of Hezb-e-Islami Afghanistan, is an important part of efforts to promote broader bilateral ties between Pakistan and Afghanistan. During his stay, Gulbuddin Hekmatyar will call on the President, Prime Minister and will meet Chairman Senate and Speaker National Assembly.
