Pakistan and Afghanistan on Friday stressed the need to join hands to overcome the common challenges and threats and termed Pakistan-Afghanistan partnership a key to peace and development of the two countries.In his banquet speech, held in honour of President Hamid Karzai and his delegation at Aiwan-e-Sadr,
President Asif Ali Zardari said that Pak-Afghan partnership is a key to peace and development of the two countries and was important for increased connectivity within the region as well as with the outside world.The President said that Pakistan and Afghanistan were bestowed with great human and natural resources and all that is needed was a joint effort to convert the challenges into opportunities.Extending warm welcome to the visiting President and his delegation, the President expressed the hope that the visit would prove to be a great opportunity for frank and close discussions for promoting mutual engagement and cooperation.
The President said that Pakistan and Afghanistan were two brotherly neighbors and their relations were rooted in common history, culture, religion and historical interaction between the two peoples.
He said that Pakistan wants a strong, peaceful and prosperous Afghanistan and was keen to promote peace, stability and development in the region and beyond. The President said that Pakistan was also very keen to strengthen bilateral relations through increased cooperation in diverse areas.
The President said that peace and stability in the two countries was inter-linked. Our two countries, he said, are victims of terrorism and militancy. The President said that terrorism has seriously affected the social and political fabric of the two societies and has drained the economies.
The President said that there was a need to continue, and further strengthen, cooperation in fighting terrorism. Close engagement between our political, military and intelligence institutions was vital for durable peace and stability in our two countries, he said.
“There will be no peace in Pakistan if there is war in Afghanistan and vise versa, adding, it is inter-dependent and together we can bring peace and stability to the region,” the President said.
President Asif Ali Zardari said that Pakistan fully supports Afghan efforts for peace and reconciliation. He said that the Joint Commission on Reconciliation was about to hold its inaugural session and hoped it would advance the process of peace and reconciliation. We believe, the President emphasized, that reconciliation should be an Afghan-owned and Afghan-led process.
Talking about mutual cooperation of the two countries, the President said that Pakistan-Afghanistan relations were much broader and wider than the one point agenda of fighting terrorism. “While we must fight extremism together, we should also focus on building a long- term relationship,” he emphasized.
The President while mentioning last year’s visit of his Afghan counterpart recalled his describing of Afghanistan and Pakistan as ‘twins’. He said that in order for these twins to grow and prosper, we need closer cooperation.
“The President said “we need to cooperate in areas of security, education,health,agriculture, energy, Infra-structure, resource development, and people-to- people contacts. We also need to promote strong institutional linkages in diverse areas of life” the President said.
He said “our focus should be on immediate to long term cooperation.”In this regard, the President said that the Parliamentary exchanges should be increased adding that the recent exchanges have been useful in increasing mutual harmony and understanding. He said that the security institutions should
have greater liaison for sharing information and intelligence.
Reiterating Pakistan’s offer of providing assistance to capacity-building of Afghan institutions, the President said that Pakistan can also assist in the training and capacity building of Afghan security forces.
He stressed the need for promoting trade and investment and called for stepping up efforts to increase annual trade from present $ 2 billion to $ 5 billion by 2015.
The President lauded the conclusion of Afghanistan-Pakistan Transit Trade Agreement and finalization of implementation mechanism of the agreement from 12 June 2011.
He said we should develop our railway and highway links and added that we need to explore international partners to start Peshawar-Jalalabad and Quetta- Kandhar rail projects.
Highlighting the importance of Trans-Afghan energy projects, particularly TAPI and CASA-1000, the President said these projects were important for the peoples of the two countries.
He also said that the two countries need to evolve a joint approach on hydel power development projects.
The President while referring to Pakistan’s contribution to the Afghanistan’s effort in different areas including health, education, diplomacy,banking,agriculture and aviation said we need to further expand the existing cooperation.
Speaking on the occasion the Afghan President Hamid Karzai said that Pakistan is second home for the Afghans and we found it our second home during the turbulent time.
The people of Afghanistan cannot forget the generous hospitality of the people of Pakistan, he added.
He said both Afghanistan and Pakistan would continue their journey towards peace and stability in the region and prosperity of the two nations.
“This is a continued journey and I am confident we will have laid a strong foundation for the generations to come,” he added.
President Karzai expressed his best wishes for the well-being and prosperity of the people of Pakistan and thanked President Zardari for extending him a warm welcome. APP
