Islamabad, 14 September 2011: An Afghan parliamentary delegation called on Acting President Mr. Farooq H. Naek at Aiwan-e-Sadr today.

 

The delegation included Sayed Ishaq Gilani, Mr. Gul Pacha Majidi, Mrs. Nasima Niazi, Mr. Abdul Qader Qalatwal, Mr. Jabbar Qahraman, Mrs. Breshna Rabi, Mr. Mawlawi Shahzada Shahid, Mr. Mirwais Yasini, Mrs. Aryan  Yoon and Sayed Jamal Fakory Beheshty.  

 

Pak side included among others Deputy Speaker National Assembly Mr. Faisal Karim Kundi, MNA Malik Ammad Khan, Secretary General to the President Mr. M. Salman Faruqui, Spokesperson to the President Mr. Farhatullah Babar and other senior officials. 

Mr. Mohammad Ahmed Shamsi, Special envoy UAE Government was also present.

 

Pak-Afghan bilateral relations, war against militancy, recent floods in Pakistan and regional situation was discussed during the meeting.

 

The Acting President during the meeting said that Pakistan supports Afghan-led and Afghan-owned peace process in Afghanistan. He said that Pakistan has abiding interest in the stability of Afghanistan and would continue to support all efforts for the peace and stability of the neighboring Afghanistan.

 

Discussing the war against militancy, the Acting President  said that Pakistan has suffered heavily-- both in terms of human losses as well as material toll-- because of war against militancy. He said that every Pakistani has been affected directly or indirectly due to this menace. However, we are committed to pursue our struggle till its logical conclusion, he said.

 

The Acting President said that in order to permanently address the root causes that breed militancy and extremism, there was a need to focus on socio-economic development of the region especially of those areas that have been worst hit by the scourge of militancy and provide conducive grounds to the militants for recruitments and operational purposes.

 

He said that providing the people of the worst hit areas with new vistas of economic opportunities and better future prospects with quality education was the only available option to effectively neutralize the militant mindset.

 

The Afghan delegation thanked the Acting President for meeting the delegation. The delegation, on behalf of Afghan Government and the people, expressed sympathies with the people who have been hit by the recent rains and floods.

They also strongly condemned the inhuman incident of ambushing a school van that took place in Peshawar yesterday claiming lives of six innocent school children and expressed sympathies and grief with the affected families.

 

The delegation during the meeting thanked President Asif Ali Zardari and Prime Minister Syed Yousaf Raza Gillani for their efforts to begin a new phase of bilateral relationship of Pakistan and Afghanistan.

 

The delegation said that that Afghanistan desires stability and prosperity in Pakistan for overall stability and peace of the region.

 

The Acting President called for greater people to people contacts at all levels including the parliamentary delegations so to learn form one another and to work hand in hand against the common challenges confronting the two countries.

 

He also stressed upon the need for greater linkages, connectivity and trade relations between the two countries for socio-economic development of the people of the two countries in particular and that of the region in general. 

 

Later the Acting President also hosted lunch for the delegation.