Welcome development for peace hailed as Pakistan premier accepts Kabul’s invitation

Shahid Khaqan Abbasi. (REUTERS)

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan has confirmed that Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi will travel to Kabul soon although dates for the visit have yet to be announced.
“During our National Security Adviser (NSA’s) recent visit to Kabul, (Afghan) President Ashraf Ghani invited Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi to Afghanistan at a convenient time, an offer that he has accepted,” Foreign Ministry spokesman Mohammed Faisal said in a weekly news briefing on Thursday.
Pakistan’s NSA Nasser Khan Janjua visited Kabul on March 17 where he met President Ghani and other Afghan officials to discuss security issues.
During the visit, President Ghani invited the Pakistani Prime Minister to visit Kabul as part of a move to reset deteriorating ties and start state-to-state talks.
Faisal added at the press briefing that Premier Abbasi’s acceptance of the offer was a welcome development. “It is part of our continuous dialogue and engagement with Afghanistan and the international community for a lasting solution to the Afghan problem. It is true that peace in Afghanistan is inextricably linked to Pakistan’s peace and stability,” he said.
He added that Pakistan has always supported an Afghan-owned and Afghan-led peace process in Afghanistan.
“Islamabad has reiterated that only through political reconciliation, wherein all warring factions begin a meaningful and result-oriented dialogue with the Afghan Government, can lasting peace be achieved in Afghanistan. We have supported the Afghanistan-related initiatives in this context.
“Pakistan has been urging (the) Taliban through its public statements, as well as, private messaging, to join the peace process. This, we feel, is a shared responsibility. Pakistan should not be singled out in this regard,” Faisal added.
Pakistan once again raised the concerns about the rising footprint of Daesh in Afghanistan.
“Daesh has been involved in cross-border raids at Pakistani military posts. We have, on many occasions, shared evidence of their involvement in cross-border raids and location of their safe heavens on Afghan territory with Afghanistan ... and urged them to take effective action to root out Daesh sanctuaries on Afghan territory,” Faisal added.