Pakistan, Afghanistan work on Karzai’s visit, says foreign ministry

Pakistan and Afghanistan are working to finalize the schedule of President Hamid Karzai’s visit to Islamabad, the Foreign Ministry said Thursday.  

Pakistan’s security adviser, Sartaj Aziz, extended invitation letter to President Karzai from Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif during his visit to Kabul on Sunday last.

“Hamid Karzai had accepted the invitation and dates are now being worked out,” the Foreign Ministry spokesman, Aizaz Ahmad Chaudhry told weekly press briefing.

The two governments are constantly engaged in making that visit possible, the spokesman said. He hoped both the countries will engage on an agenda ‚ which is beneficial for the whole region.

Presidential palace in Kabul had stated that President Karzai had accepted the invitation however he had stressed that the Afghan high-level delegation will not visit Pakistan when the agenda of the visit includes serious and effective campaign against terrorism and Afghan peace process.

About the visit of Advisor on Foreign Affairs and National Security Sartaj Aziz to Kabul‚ the spokesperson said the visit was successful and that it was the first high level exchange between the two countries since the new government assumed office in Pakistan following the May 11 elections.

He said Pakistan had supported the establishment of Taliban office in Doha as part of larger reconciliation process in Afghanistan.

“We are convinced that an intra Afghan dialogue and Afghan owned peace process is the way forward to achieve peace in Afghanistan.”

KERRY VISIT: He said the visit of the US Secretary of State John Kerry is on the cards but the dates have yet not been finalized. “Our relations with the US are broad based and very important. Both the countries are collaborating on a large agenda.”

Responding to a question, the spokesperson said Pakistan and the United States have no prisoner swap agreement.

US DRONES: On the U.S. drone attacks‚ Aizaz Ahmad Chaudhry maintained that the U.S. drone attacks are in violation of the sovereignty of Pakistan and counterproductive.

“These strikes are not serving any objective rather carry humanitarian consequences.”

He said this very viewpoint of Pakistan is being conveyed to the United States at all the forums, adding the new government has laid a great deal of emphasis on registering its viewpoint on drone attacks with the United States and the world at large.

INDIA: Responding to a question about the admission of an Indian official that New Delhi itself was behind Mumbai and the parliament attacks, Aizaz Ahmad Chaudhry said we had raised this issue with the Indian authorities. He said the Indian government in its response has declined that its official has made any such statement. He said the entire region has been hit hard by the terrorism and both the countries should work together to curb this menace.

He expressed the confidence that the composite dialogue will soon resume between Pakistan and India for discussion on all outstanding issues including the issue of terrorism.

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Posted by Tahir Khan on Jul 25 2013. Filed under Latest News, National, Pakistan. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0. You can skip to the end and leave a response. Pinging is currently not allowed.