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Pakistan wants to see a stable Afghanistan: PM
ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif on Saturday said Pakistan wanted to see a stable Afghanistan and sought to improve relations with its neighbour
The prime minister was addressing a joint press conference alongside Afghan President Ashraf Ghani.
During the press conference Prime Minister Sharif emphasised Pakistan’s respect for Afghanistan’s territorial integrity, sovereignty and national unity. He said both countries faced similar challenges such as security and poverty. The prime minister added that the futures of both countries were tied together.
President Ashraf Ghani spoke of forgetting the past and for both countries to move towards the future. He said Afghanistan would play a prominent role for the growth and stability of the region.
President Ghani added that trade barriers in place for the last 13 years had been removed in three days. "I want to welcome the enormous steps that have been taken in the last three days to achieve progress on the economy."
The Afghan leader, who took the presidency in a power-sharing government after a protracted and bitter election battle against rival Abdullah Abdullah, said cooperation on gas and energy projects would be key.
"What we have agreed on is a shared vision where Pakistan and Afghanistan would serve as the heart of Asia to ensure that economic integration in Asia becomes a reality," he said.
The two sides plan to work together on the CASA-1000 electricity line and the ambitious $7.6 billion dollar Turkmenistan-Afghanistan-Pakistani-India (TAPI) gas pipeline.
"Today we have taken fundamental steps to ensure that South Asia connects with Central Asia and Central Asia connects to South Asia," Ghani said.
Prior to the press conference the prime minister and Afghan president held formal talks which focused on bilateral and regional matters.
After talks between Ghani and Sharif on Saturday, the two sides´ finance ministers signed a deal aimed at more than doubling trade between the two countries to $5 billion by 2017, as well as simplifying customs protocols.
Upon his arrival at the PM House, Afghan President Ashraf Ghani received a warm welcome with a formal ceremony.
He was received by the Prime Minister and on the occasion the national anthems of both countries were played.
The smartly turned out contingent of armed forces presented guard of honour to the foreign dignitary.
Courtesy www.thenews.com.pk