‘Pakistan committed to address issues with Afghanistan’

Islamabad:It will take political commitment and sincerity on both sides to steer Pakistan and Afghanistan out of the current tensions and find the way for a better future.

This was the conclusion drawn from a day-long civil society dialogue between representatives from Pakistan and Afghanistan organised here by Centre for Research and Security Studies (CRSS). They also underscored the need for easing restrictions on visas for Afghan citizens, which they claimed, are breeding animosity and negativity among Afghans.

The participants of the dialogue pointed out the losses worth millions of dollars that farmers and traders endured due to border closures and political tensions in the aftermath of violence and terrorist actions in Pakistan. These disruptions, coupled with the alleged corruption of officials, hit traders and farmers of both countries, they observed. “Robust mechanisms and consistent policies” can help minimise such disruptions and the ensuing losses, the participants suggested.

Intensive discussions centred on girls’ education, terrorism, obstructions in the way of transit and bilateral trade and visas for Afghan nationals. They also called on both governments to keep politics and trade separate and engage in meaningful dialogue on issues that are of primary concern to both countries. The civil society dialogue took place to the context of a spike in TTP-led terrorist violence and the consequent bombing of the terrorist outfit’s camps in eastern Afghanistan in December.

Special representative for Afghanistan Mohammad Sadiq attending the session promised to look into the visa-related complaints and issues encountered by common Afghans and also informed the audience of the multiple steps the government is taking to smoothen visa processes and facilitate traders on both sides of the border. Only through mutual consultations can we overcome problems that are hindering peoples’ and goods movement between the two countries, the delegates proposed.

The participants said one way of rubbing off bilateral acrimonies would be to involve a third party like China or Qatar adding that such a trilateral dialogue was helpful in various other instances too.