Saif welcomes initiation dialogue with Afghanistan

PESHAWAR: Advisor to the Chief Minister for Information and Public Relations Barrister Dr Muhammad Ali Saif has welcomed the initiation of dialogue with Afghanistan by the federal government.

Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar on Saturday paid a day-long visit to Kabul to discuss security issues.

“The federal government has acted upon our repeated appeals by initiating the dialogue process, which is a positive development. However, excluding Khyber Pakhtunkhwa from this crucial process reflects a lack of seriousness,” he said in a statement.

Saif said that Khyber Pakhtunkhwa had remained the frontline and most affected province in the fight against terrorism and, therefore, it must be included along with all other stakeholders in the peace talks.

He added that the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government had submitted terms of reference (TORs) to the federal government three months ago, which also mentioned the involvement of tribal elders and other key stakeholders.

“Our proposed TORs can prove instrumental for the dialogue process. However, without taking stakeholders into confidence, the talks are unlikely to yield fruitful results,” he added.

He further said that dialogue with Afghanistan was essential for lasting peace in the region. “And it is imperative to include all relevant parties in this process,” he added.