ISLAMABAD - Pakistan and Afghanistan failed to achieve any big breakthrough at the highest-level talks on Friday although the neighbours agreed to work together for peace.

Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi along with his team met with Afghan President Ashraf Ghani and Chief Executive Abdullah Abdullah, among other officials, during his one-day visit to Kabul and discussed bilateral ties.

Senior officials at the foreign ministry told The Nation that the meetings were held in ‘positive environment’ but the trust deficit persisted.

One official said: “The two sides showed intent to resolve their issues but there is still a long way to go. Afghanistan suspects Pakistan’s role while we are victims of cross-border terrorism.”

He said: “Although there was no big breakthrough, these meetings will be helpful in future talks for regional peace. We shared the evidence of cross-border terrorism with the Afghan leadership. They also made identical complaints. They shared their evidence with us.”

An official statement said that the two countries agreed to work to achieve the common aim of regional security through connectivity. Abbasi also extended an invitation to President Ghani to visit Pakistan “at his earliest convenience”.

After the meeting with President Ghani and his delegation, PM Abbasi and his entourage held talks with Abdullah.

A foreign ministry statement issued here after Abbasi’s Kabul meetings said PM and President Ghani discussed the entire gamut of Pak-Afghan relations including peace and reconciliation in Afghanistan, counter-terrorism, return of Afghan refugees, bilateral trade and regional connectivity.

“The two leaders agreed that Afghanistan-Pakistan Action Plan for Peace and Solidarity provided a useful framework for broad based and structured engagement on all issues of mutual interest and decided to operationalise the five working groups under APAPPS,” it said.

Abbasi welcomed President Ghani’s vision for peace and reconciliation in Afghanistan and his offer of peace talks to Taliban.

Both leaders called on the Taliban to respond positively to the peace offer and join the peace process without further delay. They agreed that there was no military solution to the ongoing Afghan conflict and that the political solution was the best way forward.

The two leaders reiterated that terrorism was a common enemy and threat. They agreed not to allow their soils to be used for anti-state activities against each other.

The two leaders reaffirmed their commitment to regional connectivity as they had done in Herat on 23rd February 2018 while jointly inaugurating the entry of gas pipeline from Turkmenistan into Afghanistan.

They agreed to hold an early meeting of the Joint Economic Commission to take forward planning and implementation of key railroad gas pipeline and energy projects that would integrate Pakistan and Afghanistan with Central Asia said the statement. 

The two leaders also agreed to move forward on Chaman-Kandahar-Herat railway line, Peshawar-Kabul Motorway, and other connectivity projects which can help realise the tremendous potential of South and Central Asian regions by providing shortest access through the seaports of Gwadar and Karachi. They emphasised early completion of TAPI and CASA-1000 projects.

The prime minister announced a gift of 40,000 tons wheat for the Afghan people. He also announced waiver of additional regulatory duty on Afghan export to Pakistan to help lift the Afghan economy.

The two sides also agreed to initiate discussions on consular matters and exchange of civilian prisoners.

President Ghani and Prime Minister Abbasi reaffirmed their resolve to build trust and confidence between the two countries by working closely for peace, prosperity and stability in their countries. The two leaders agreed to continue the exchange of high-level visits, the statement said.

In the meeting, the two sides agreed that delegations of Afghanistan and Pakistan will prepare a timeline and mechanism for the return of Afghan refugees to the country.

PM Abbasi also met with senior political leaders including Gulbadin Hekmatyar, Ustad Mohammad Mohaqiq, Ustad Mohammad Karim Khalili, Pir Sayed Hamed Gailani to convey the support of the government and the people of Pakistan to all ethnic groups in Afghanistan and underscore Pakistan’s commitment to peace and stability in Afghanistan.

Earlier in the day, PM Abbasi reached the Afghan capital accompanied by Foreign Minister Khawaja Mohammed Asif, Interior Minister Ahsan Iqbal, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Governor Iqbal Zafar Jhagra and National Security Adviser Nasir Khan Janjua.

According to the agenda, the two sides discussed issues pertaining to counter-terror cooperation, the regional situation, repatriation of Afghan refugees and combating drug production. Pakistan and Afghanistan are key parties to a trans-regional gas pipeline - Turkmenistan–Afghanistan–Pakistan–India - aiming to connect Central Asia with South Asia among other regional trade and power projects.

Hours before Abbasi flew to Kabul, Afghanistan accused the Pakistan Air Force of violating its airspace. Afghan Foreign Ministry charged that Pakistani jets dropped four bombs in Kunar’s Dangam district.

Islamabad rejected the reports and advised Kabul to “refrain from the blame game.” A foreign ministry statement said Pakistan rejected the baseless Afghan allegations of violation of its airspace and air raids inside Afghan territory.

Another official at the foreign ministry told The Nation that Pakistan will brief the United States about the Kabul meeting. “We will tell Washington that we are sincere in the dialogue process. Afghanistan should stop terrorists from crossing the border and inflicting damage on our side (of the border),” he said.

About the yesterday’s meetings in Kabul, Pakistan’s ambassador to Afghanistan Zahid Nasrullah Khan said: “We are very hopeful that this visit would open a new chapter of goodwill, friendship and brotherhood between our two brotherly countries.”

Afghanistan Ambassador to Pakistan Dr Omar Zakhilwal said the visit to Kabul by Pakistan Prime Minister Abbasi “concluded in an environment of full respect warm hospitality.”

He tweeted: “A frank, constructive and forward looking dialogue (was held), (there was) agreement on key principles and specific mechanism for bilateral engagement and path forward.”

Last month, President Ghani offered unconditional talks to the Taliban at an international conference in Kabul to try to end the bloodshed in his country. 

PM Abbasi supported the move saying instability in the neighbouring country directly undermined Pakistan’s security. The premier rejected as “a totally flawed narrative” allegations that Pakistan was covertly supporting the Taliban to fuel the Afghan conflict.

The US also welcomed Islamabad’s renewed diplomatic re-engagement with Kabul. Washington said an improved mutual relationship is essential for regional efforts against terrorism. “Obviously, for there to be stability in Afghanistan there needs to be a strong relationship between Afghanistan and Pakistan,” said Alice Wells, US principal deputy assistant secretary of state for South and Central Asia - who visited Islamabad last week.

 

 

No big breakthrough in Pak-Afghan talks