Pakistan will continue to support peaceful, united Afghanistan: FM Qureshi

DUSHANBE: In view of the withdrawal of international forces from Afghanistan, Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi on Tuesday urged the Afghan leaders to achieve a negotiated political settlement at the earliest, ARY News reported.

FM Qureshi expressed these views during a meeting with his Afghan counterpart Hanif Atmar held on the sidelines of Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) Council of Foreign Ministers meeting in Dushanbe.

He remarked that Afghan leaders should seize the historic opportunity and take advantage of international convergence on the final settlement of the Afghan conflict by working together an inclusive, broad-based and comprehensive political settlement. The foreign minister said that such an outcome would bring peace, stability and prosperity in Afghanistan.

Expressing concerns over high level of violence, which has resulted in innumerable loss of lives, he emphasized immediate steps to decrease violence, leading to comprehensive ceasefire.

FM Qureshi said that negative statements could not cloud Pakistan’s positive contribution to the Afghan peace process, and that blame game would not serve the region.

He urged his Afghan counterpart to address all concerns through established institutional mechanisms, including APAPPS.

On the occasion, FM Qureshi reaffirmed Pakistan’s consistent support to a peaceful and united Afghanistan.

“Pakistan supports a peaceful and stable Afghanistan, which would yield mutual dividends and benefits in terms of peace in the region, economic prosperity and regional connectivity,” he added.

He said that Pakistan looked forward to hosting review meeting of APAPPS in Islamabad at the earliest.