ISLAMABAD, (Raja Furqan Ahmed) : Afghanistan’s Acting Foreign Minister Mawlawi Amir Khan Muttaqi has urged Islamabad and banned militant outfit Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) to sit together for a dialogue. Speaking at the Institute of Strategic Studies in Islamabad on Monday, Muttaqi said that the Afghan Taliban had initiated talks between Islamabad and the TTP. “We do not want any bloodshed and unrest on the land of Pakistan,” he maintained. “We facilitated the meeting between Pakistan and the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan. We want peace in Pakistan at every cost,” he commented. “We fulfilled our responsibility regarding the TTP. We made both sides sit at the negotiating table to find a solution. We discussed the TTP with the current and previous Pakistani governments. The subject was discussed with the Pakistani authorities during the current visit also. The Afghan territory will not be allowed to be used against any country, including Pakistan,” he said. Interim Afghan Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi has also categorically stated that his country will not allow its soil to be used against Pakistan. Acknowledging Pakistan’s loss while fighting against terrorism, he said: “In the last 20 years, Pakistan has lost 80,000 lives to terrorism.” He further said that the two neighbouring countries face serious security and political challenges. He added that the challenges faced by neighbouring countries Pakistan and Afghanistan are not different from one another. The minister said both countries have been through various situations and will now work together. “Pakistan and Afghanistan will have to show flexibility and move towards a brighter future,” Muttaqi said. Expressing Afghanistan’s interest in maintaining economic ties with Pakistan, the minister stated: “Pakistan has always been our focus. There has been interest in economic ties with the country since the beginning.” The Afghan leader said trade between the two nations continued despite political differences and hoped to continue economic relations in the future. Commenting on the significance of trade routes between the two countries, Muttaqi said: “Closure of trade routes eliminates several employment opportunities for ordinary citizens.” Muttaqi suggested that bilateral progress can increase 10 times with Pakistan’s investment in Afghanistan’s energy reserves. He added that both countries have been facing political and economic challenges for the last two years, but possess growth potential.