KABUL: Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif said on Monday his country attached great importance to its brotherly relations with Afghanistan and Islamabad was ready to help Kabul in its quest for peace and development.
In his meeting with Afghan Minister for Finance Eklil Ahmad Hakimi in Islamabad, Nawaz Sharif expressed satisfaction over the positive momentum in the bilateral relations under the leadership of President Ashraf Ghani and stressed that new understanding of brotherly ties between the two countries must be sustained and further strengthened.
Sharif welcomed the Afghan minister and members of Afghan delegation, who are Islamabad for the 10th Session of Pak-Afghanistan Joint Economic Commission.
The Pakistan premier claimed “Pakistan believes that a peaceful, prosperous and progressive Afghanistan is in the best interest of the country and the region”.
Nawaz told the Afghan finance minister that there was a great scope for both Afghanistan and Pakistan to boost their bilateral trade and both sides should work strenuously to meet the Trade Volume target of US$ 5 Billion till 2018.
The prime minister also expressed his satisfaction over the resumption of work by Pakistani side on incomplete projects in Afghanistan’s health, education and other sectors and said that “Pakistan would extend all possible support to Afghanistan to accomplish all tasks in infrastructure development and energy sector to consolidate long term bilateral and regional partnership”.
The Afghan finance minister thanked Nawaz for taking special interest in peace and development of Afghanistan. He stated that President Ghani shares the Nawaz Sharif’s vision of economic development of the region through regional connectivity. Hakimi lauded the prime minister’s efforts to improve regional connectivity through rail and road links.
Referring to CASA-1000 and other connectivity projects, Hakimi stated that early realization of these projects will provide a win-win situation for all the countries of the region.
Federal Minister for Finance Senator Ishaq Dar, Adviser to Prime Minister on Foreign Affairs Sartaj Aziz, Secretary to Prime Minister Fawad Hasan and Foreign Affairs Secretary Aizaz Ahmed Chaudhry were also present during the meeting.
The Afghan delegation comprised Adviser to Afghan President Homayoun Qaumi and Ambassador of Afghanistan to Pakistan Janan Mosazai.
Earlier addressing the Pak-Afghanistan Joint Economic Commission, Hakimi said Afghanistan attached utmost importance to its relationship with Pakistan.
He said President Ghani had underlined repeatedly and consistently that they considered Pakistan as a vital partner in security, economic development, political cooperation and people-to-people relations.
He said the clear, principled policy from their side was underpinned by the unique and very close ties of common history, faith, culture, traditions, language, geography and more. “As such, the destinies of our two countries are inseparably linked to each another.”
He said whatever happened in one country would have a direct, immediate, lasting impact in the other. “Therefore, as history, especially the past decade, has proven beyond any doubt, any insecurity, instability or violence in one country will have an immediate adverse impact on security, stability and peace in the other. Likewise, security and peace in one country will have a significant salutary effect on the situation in the other.”
