Minister for Foreign Affairs Shah Mehmood Qureshi has said that being an important stakeholder in Afghan peace process, Pakistan wanted a responsible withdrawal of troops from Afghanistan.
He was addressing a joint press conference with his German counterpart Heiko Maas, who arrived here earlier in the day to hold discussions on regional peace and situation in Afghanistan.
He said that Pakistan had been saying for long that Afghan issue could only be resolved through dialogue. He said a responsible withdrawal of troops would be in better interest of Pakistan as well as the regional countries. The German foreign minister said that terrorism was a global challenge and Pakistan had taken a lot of steps in that regard.
The German minister appreciated Prime Minister Imran Khan’s efforts for peace and reconciliation within the region particularly in regard to recent tension between India and Pakistan.
Maas said that Germany recognized that steps were being taken by Pakistan in deescalating the situation. “We believe that Kashmir requires immediate solution and both sides can contribute to resolve the long standing concerning situation in South Asia,” he added.
Mass said that India must improve situation in the occupied valley.
Foreign Minister Qureshi said that both sides discussed the opportunities for enhancing trade, economy and investment in Pakistan.
The visiting minister said that the decision of Prime Minister Imran Khan to release the captured Indian pilot had been noted positively by the international community. Welcoming the German foreign minister, the prime minister said that Pakistan attached high importance to its relations with Germany, which were characterized by shared democratic values and multifaceted cooperation. He praised the leadership of German Chancellor Angela Merkel particularly her handling of the immigration crisis. On bilateral ties, the prime minister welcomed German investment in hydroelectric power generation and automobile sectors of Pakistan. The German foreign minister underscored Pakistan’s key role in peaceful settlement in Afghanistan. He reiterated German Chancellor Angela Merkel’s invitation to the prime minister to visit Germany. Pakistan is playing very positive role for the establishment of durable peace not only in the country but also in the whole region. The positive remarks made by visiting dignitary reflect that international community is acknowledging Pakistan’s efforts for the regional peace and stability. International community needs to play its more proactive role in resolving regional issues including Kashmir issue and Afghanistan problem. Peaceful settlement of Afghanistan is crucial for the stability in the region and also resolution of Kashmir issue is imperative for the durable regional peace.