Islamabad - Speaker of Wolesy Jirga of Afghanistan Abdul Rauf Ibrahimi yesterday thanked the government and people of Pakistan for help in recovery of abducted former Afghan Governor Wahidi, saying this could only be the work of enemy of Pakistan and Afghanistan.
Ibrahimi stated this while addressing a meeting hosted by Chairman of National Assembly Committee on Foreign Affairs Sardar Awais Khan Leghari in the honour of visiting Afghan parliamentarians in the Parliament House yesterday.
The Afghan leader said that the two states needed to counter any effort that was not in the mutual interest of the neighbourly countries. He also proposed formation of joint parliamentary comprising parliament members from Afghanistan and Pakistan to further promote bilateral relations between the two countries.
The Afghan leader said that it was not because of their close political relations but because of blood relations between Afghanistan and Pakistan.
Chairman of the Committee Sardar Awais Leghari welcomed the delegation and said Pakistan strongly supports the Afghan led peace process. He emphasised the need for strengthening bilateral cooperation further in infrastructures, agriculture, health, education, communication and information technology. He said that Pakistan wants the return of Afghan refugees in dignified manner.
The members of both sides also stressed the need to identify common enemy and crush them with joint efforts. They also exchanged views on different issues of common interest of Pakistan and Afghanistan and steps about how to further deepen the people to people to contact between the two countries.
Since its arrival in Pakistan, the Afghan parliamentary delegation also interacted with other Pakistan leaders including Prime Minister Mohammad Nawaz Sharif, Speaker National Assembly and Advisor on Foreign Affairs Sartaj Aziz.
Both sides exchanged views on the current state of relations between Afghanistan and Pakistan and challenges confronting the two countries. The issues relating to counter terrorism and joint efforts by the Afghan and Pakistan governments figured high during the interactions between the two sides.
Both sides expressed the hope that the ongoing peace and reconciliation in Afghanistan resumed under the four nations Quadrilateral Coordination Group (QCG) would bear fruits.
The Afghan delegation also appreciated Pakistan’s efforts to combat terrorism and hailed the sacrifices it suffered during the course of war against terror.