Afghanistan, Pakistan should check negative elements fueling tension: Mamnoon

  Congratulates 3,000 scholarship winning Afghan students

ISLAMABAD: President Mamnoon Hussain Wednesday said that Pakistan and Afghanistan should keep a close eye on negative elements that fuel tension and spread misunderstandings with malicious intent towards achieving ulterior motives.

Addressing the ceremony for Afghan national students under HEC’s project “Award of 3000 Scholarships for Afghanistan” at Pak-China Friendships Centre in Islamabad, the president said that Pakistan had complete confidence in the wisdom of Afghan leadership and people and it believed that they would play an important role in the journey towards progress and prosperity in the region, particularly in both countries, by thwarting all internal and external conspiracies.

He said that Pakistan was keen to include Afghanistan in all opportunities for progress and prosperity with an open heart and expressed confidence that Afghan leadership, people and particularly the youth would play a historic role in sync with changed circumstances.

He said that Pakistan and Afghanistan are not only linked by geographical proximity but the two nations are bound by mutual ties of blood, culture, history and belief, adding that our ancestors enjoyed close and warm relations standing on this common bedrock. He expressed optimism that both countries would continue to stand shoulder to shoulder for the welfare of their people, as they did in difficult times in the past.

He noted, “Our region has for long confronted issues of lawlessness, wars and extremism which affected both Pakistan and Afghanistan due to which countless human lives have been lost and the process of development come to a halt.” He said that the courage and determination with which both nations faced these issues was exemplary and unmatched in human history.

He said now that subversive forces were weakening by the grace of Allah, better sense should prevail to resolve regional issues with mutual understanding and brotherly zeal. He said that the purpose behind launching this scholarship scheme for young Afghan students was to provide them with the same educational facilities and opportunities as enjoyed by Pakistani students and hoped that they had benefited greatly from this opportunity and would play their part to further enhance brotherhood and goodwill between the two countries. He said that it was our responsibility to work hard for the progress and prosperity of our people in search of a better future for our generations to come.

He congratulated the scholarship winning students and hoped that they would be committed and devoted to hard work in their practical life. He advised them to equip themselves with modern learning, scientific knowledge and technological skills and take their friends along in the process.

He hoped that as ambassadors between Pakistan and Afghanistan they would play their role in further cementing bilateral relations between Pakistan and Afghanistan. He underscored that Muslim countries should shun their differences and resolve issues amicably. He said that Islamic countries should become united, extend cooperation to each other, exchange expertise in different fields, focus on acquiring science & technology and collectively address the issues being confronted by Ummah.

Addressing on the occasion, Adviser to Prime Minister on Foreign Affairs Sartaj Aziz said that another 3000 scholarships for Afghan national students would be awarded soon, adding that Afghan students are ambassadors of peace and love between Pakistan and Afghanistan.

Afghanistan’s Minister for Higher Education Commission Farida Mohmand, Chairman HEC Dr Mukhtar Ahmed and two Afghan national students Ms. Samina and Syed Abdullah Qasmi also addressed the ceremony.