As the Pakistani parliamentary delegation prepared to leave Kabul after a hectic three-day trip to the capital, Afghan President Ashraf Ghani called National Assembly Speaker Sardar Ayaz Sadiq on the phone, thanking him for his bold decision of taking the first step to break the ice between the two neighbouring countries.President Ghani also asked the speaker to convey his message of gratitude to Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif for the latter’s sincere efforts in bridging the gap between Afghanistan and Pakistan. While lauding the acumen shown by the parliamentary leadership of Pakistan, Ghani termed the visit of the high-level parliamentary delegation a new chapter in the bilateral relations of the two countries. He also commended the speaker for his mediatory role and hoped that the visit would pave the way for lasting peace and friendship between the two countries.Former Afghan President Hamid Karzai and Afghanistan’s Chief Executive Dr Abdullah Abdullah also assured Speaker Ayaz Sadiq of their utmost cooperation in cementing relations between Afghanistan and Pakistan. Ayaz Sadiq met the two leaders separately in Kabul, where he had landed with a 17-member parliamentary delegation, consisting of the entire political spectrum represented in both Houses of Pakistani parliament. Karzai welcomed the delegation, terming it a turning point in the bilateral relationship. He said he saw a very bright prospect for peace. The two sides took stock of the existing relationship and agreed on removing all irritants, besides moving forward in cooperation in the realms of security, intelligence sharing, joint border management, refugee handling, enhancing trade, mutually agreed visa regime and regular exchanges at all levels of the state and society.Abdullah Abdullah, while hosting a dinner in honour of the visiting delegation, regretted the time lost in making sincere efforts from both sides.
He stressed that it was important for Pakistan to understand that no other country in the world could take the place of Pakistan as there was no parallel to the kind of emotional, historic and cultural affinity the people of the two countries shared. Ayaz Sadiq called for tangible actions to translate words into deeds. He recalled that Pakistan and Afghanistan had stood by each other through thick and thin and could not afford to live in animosity in such critical times. It was mutually agreed to take full advantage of Pakistan’s first step of sending a goodwill delegation and turn it into a sustained process. The visit will be followed by regular meetings of the political and parliamentary leadership of both the countries, which will keep a comprehensive follow-up of all rounds of talks between different state institutions in order to remove any arising irritants. Indeed the visits of a parliamentary level delegation headed by Sardar Ayaz Sadiq to Kabul was a step in right direction towards restoration of trust and confidence building between the leadership of two countries. Pakistan has always desired brotherly relations with Afghanistan to counter all challenges and always shown maximum restraint on hostile statements by Afghan leaders. Terrorism is common threat and both countries should cooperate each other to eliminate this menace. The tangible steps should be taken to remove mistrust between both countries and to move forward for mutual interests.
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