ISLAMABAD - Foreign Secretary Aizaz Ahmad Chaudhry on Sunday said Pakistan supports Afghan-led and Afghan-owned reconciliation process to ensure peace, security and development in the region.
Talking to newsmen here at Foreign Office, he said stability in neighboring Afghanistan is critical to peace in South Asia as a stable Afghanistan will ensure peace in the region.
"We believe peace in Afghanistan would mean peace for the whole region," he said.
The Foreign Secretary said Pakistan has repeatedly offered to facilitate reconciliation process to ensure peace and security in Afghanistan.
Replying to a question about recent process of dialogue between representatives of Taliban and Afghan government in Qatar, the Foreign Secretary said it is "Track-II" dialogue and expressed the hope that it will prove successful creating way for formal talks.
He said Pakistan fully supports this reconciliation process being held in Qatar.
According to details a 20-member delegation from Afghanistan had reached Qatar to hold two-day talks with Taliban representatives aimed at ending Afghanistan's long war.
Qatar's Foreign Ministry confirmed that it was hosting "reconciliation" talks to help try to deliver security, peace and stability to the Afghan people.
As these are "Track-II" talks, therefore all the participants are of the view that they are attending the talks in an individual capacity and no one participates as representative for any government or party.
Even, Afghan presidential spokesman Ajmal Abidy said members of the country's High Peace Council would attend the talks in Doha in their 'personal capacity only'.
According to reports, Afghan President Ashraf Ghani, elected last year, has pushed for peace talks with the Taliban.
Pakistan on Sunday once again assured Nepal that it will continue its relief operation for the earth-quake victims in Nepal. "Pakistan under special directives from Prime Minister Muhammad Nawaz Sharif stands shoulder to shoulder with their Nepali brothers and sisters in this need of hour," said Foreign Secretary Aizaz Ahmed Chaudhry.
He said Pakistan was the first country to respond by sending relief and rescue teams to Nepal soon after the devastated earthquake that hit Nepal in last week of April, and actively continued its relief operation till today.
Ambassador to Nepal Bharat Raj Paudyal, Chairman National Disaster Management Authority Maj. Gen. Asghar Nawaz and representatives from Pakistan Army and Pakistan Air Force were also present in this press conference to explain the relief and rescue operation being launched by Pakistan through cooperation from Foreign Office, NDMA, Pakistan Army, Pakistan Air Force under the directions of Prime Minister Muhammad Nawaz Sharif.
Secretary Foreign Affairs said Nepal's Embassy in Islamabad has been playing an effective role in coordinating the relief efforts to Nepal.
Aizaz Ahmed Chaudhry said on the approval of the Prime Minister, 20,000 tents and plenty of food were being dispatched to Nepal for immediate provision to the earth-quake affected people. He said more than 200,000 would be accommodated in these 20,000 tents.
He said the first relief consignment comprising four C-130s containing food, medicine and tents were dispatched on the second day of the earth-quake in Nepal.
The Foreign Secretary said 30-bed mobile hospital with 50 doctors, and 38-member Pakistan Army's search team, along with trained dogs were also dispatched to Kathmandu immediately.
He said two more C-130 loaded with food, tents, medicines and other necessary items were also sent to Nepal and assured that more would be sent in near future according to the need and requirements by the Nepal government.
Meanwhile, media reports said that the Nepal’s ambassador rejected as speculative the reports that Pakistan sent beef products to the quake victims.