Pakistan to stand with Afghanistan for peace: Qureshi

ISLAMABAD: Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi said on Wednesday Pakistan would continue to stand with Afghanistan for its peace and stability.

“Peace in Afghanistan is of utmost importance to Pakistan as well as the entire region,” he said in his comments on the current situation in Afghanistan. Qureshi said the world today was acknowledging the efforts of Pakistan to bring peace in Afghanistan.

He said the next few months were crucial regarding Afghanistan as the things had prospects to either get resolved or get further deteriorated. He added the withdrawal of coalition forces from Afghanistan had been completed by 50 per cent as the process continued.

The foreign minister emphasised that the Afghan leadership had a responsibility to work together to find a political solution to the conflict, given the fragility of the situation.

He regretted that the decades-long war in Afghanistan had already taken a heavy toll on the country, saying: “If the situation in Afghanistan becomes similar to that of 1990s or in case a civil war breaks out, it will cause further damage to Afghans”.

Recalling his meeting with a visiting delegation of Afghan intellectuals, Qureshi said he apprised them of Pakistan’s point of view on Afghan peace. He said Pakistan and Afghanistan had a clear understanding that both would not allow their soils to be used against each other or by a third party.