Afghanistan, Pakistan can greatly benefit from bilateral trade — PM Khan

ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Imran Khan said on Tuesday there were “immense trade complementarities” between Pakistan and Afghanistan and the two countries should utilize them to mutually benefit from bilateral commerce.
According to an official handout circulated by the foreign office of Pakistan, Khan expressed the view during a meeting with the chairman of Afghanistan’s High Council for National Reconciliation, Dr. Abdullah Abdullah.
He also conveyed best wishes for the successful outcome of the Afghan peace process and hoped that the Afghan official’s visit would open a new chapter in the bilateral relationship between the two countries.

Khan reiterated his longstanding position that there was no military solution to the conflict in Afghanistan and only a political solution could present a way forward, the statement said.
“Commending the start of the Intra-Afghan Negotiations in Doha on 12 September, the Prime Minister expressed the hope that Afghan leadership would seize this historic opportunity to work together constructively and secure an inclusive, broad-based and comprehensive political settlement,” it added.
The Pakistani leader also emphasized that all Afghan parties must work for reduction in violence leading to ceasefire.
“The Prime Minister conveyed that Pakistan would support whatever the Afghans agree upon about the future of Afghanistan. He further reaffirmed Pakistan’s full support for the post-conflict Afghanistan on its path to reconstruction and economic development,” the foreign office informed.
“He assured that Pakistan will continue to undertake all efforts to facilitate Afghan transit trade and deepen our bilateral trade and economic ties and people-to-people exchanges with Afghanistan,” the statement continued.
Khan also said he was looking forward to his visit to Afghanistan on the invitation of President Ashraf Ghani.