Afghan envoy urges removal of trust deficit

Says elements out to derail process

PESHAWAR: Afghan Ambassador to Pakistan Dr Hazrat Umar Zakhelwal on Thursday said removal of the trust deficit between Pakistan and Afghanistan was a must for durable peace in both countries as some elements were adamant on derailing the peace process.

Speaking at a function held here at the Afghan Consulate General, he said negotiations with the Afghan Taliban are due to be held in Pakistan this month.

“Unfortunately, violence and acts of terrorism intensify in Afghanistan and Pakistan when initiatives are taken for improving the relations between the two neighbouring countries,” he said, adding that a stable and peaceful Afghanistan was in the interest of Pakistan.

Umar Zakhelwal, who is also special representative of President Ashraf Ghani for Pakistan, said the Afghan government would never allow or provide space to the terrorists who are planning and launching attacks inside Pakistan.

In this respect, he said, they expect a lot from Pakistan. “The Afghan government will take 10 steps in response to one taken by Pakistan for elimination of terrorism in the region,” he added.

Umar Zakhelwal, who served as finance minister in former President Hamid Karzai’s government, recalled that as a result of imposed wars and hostilities, Afghani-stan suffered a lot and Pakistan would meet the same fate if the existing violence and crises continued.

“There may be complaints against each other and reservations on issues but all these matters could easily be sorted out through mutual understanding and consultation,” he argued.Regarding the presence Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan head Maulana Fazlullah and his accomplices in Afghan-istan, Umer Zakhelwal said, “Such elements are hiding in areas where Afghan government has no control. However, efforts are underway for arresting or eliminating all these terrorists whether they are from Pakistan, Afghanistan or any other country.”

It was the first visit of Umer Zakhelwal to Peshawar as ambassador in Pakistan. He met a large number of representatives of the Afghan refugees and students at the Afghan Consulate General.

Besides Afghan Consul General Dr Abdullah Waheed Poyan, the Afghan refugees’ elders and an official responsible for the Afghan refugees in Peshawar briefed the ambassador about the problems of the refugees and students living in Peshawar and other parts of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.

Responding to their demands, Umar Zakhelwal said he was in close contact with Pakistani authorities and the UNHCR officials in Pakistan to extend the validity of existing registration cards and new registration of thousands of Afghan nationals in Pakistan.

“A few days back, I held a meeting with Minister for States and Frontier Regions Abdul Qadar Baloch. I pointed to him all such problems,” he said. He added that he would also meet Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Pervez Khattak to discuss these issues.

The Afghan ambassador praised Pakistan and its people for playing host to a large number of Afghan refugees for over three decades. He said that Afghans wanted to return to their homeland with dignity.

The envoy requested the host country and its people to be patient for a couple of years as the situation in Afghanistan is not conducive for repatriation of the Afghan refugees. However, he reminded Afghan nationals’ faith and belief in peace and respect for law of the land during their long stay in Pakistan.

The Afghan ambassador said majority of the Afghans remained peaceful and made contribution to the Pakistan economy.

Later, he visited the University of Peshawar and delivered a speech at the Political Science department on the Pakistan-Afghanistan relations. He also answered question from the audience.

In his speech, he stressed the need for promoting people-to-people contact between the Afghans and Pakistanis at different forums for permanent and durable peace and stability between the two neighboring counties that shared a common religion and culture.