By IRNA,
Islamabad : Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi emphasized Monday for close cooperation between Pakistan and Afghanistan to effectively counter and completely eliminate the menace of terrorism and extremism.
“Both countries have suffered immensely and continue to suffer at the hands of extremism, militancy and terrorism and the situation demands a joint and comprehensive strategy to cope with the situation to bring peace and stability in the whole region,” Qureshi told inaugural session of two-day Pak-Afghan mini peace jirga or council in Islamabad.
Around 50 members from both countries are participating in the ‘jirga-gai’ or mini-jirga to explore ways for cooperation to deal with the threat of terrorism and extremism in both countries.
The council will also review the process of implementation of decisions taken in the grand joint jirga held in Kabul in August last year.
The meeting will also decide date for the next grand jirga to be held in Pakistan.
“Together we are developing a forward looking vision of peace, prosperity and development of our peoples and the region,” Qureshi said.
He said Pakistan fully subscribes to the Jirga process between the two countries and the decision of Kabul peace jirga last year and the democratic government accords top priority to effectively deal with the menace of terrorism with the help of the people.
“It is also a resolve of the government to cooperate closely with the brotherly people and government of Afghanistan in overcoming their difficulties emanating from terrorism”.
The Foreign Minister called upon the Jirga members to work together, monitor and oversee implementation of decisions of joint peace jirga held last year and give a plan to facilitate the convening of next grand peace jirga that could work more vigorously to bring peace in the region.
In his remarks, leader of the Afghan Jirga Abdullah Abdullah called upon the members of the jirga to put their heads together to devise a strategy for promoting peace as the people from both sides have attached great hopes from them to work for bringing
peace and stability in the region.
He said both the nations have to move together and explore opportunities for not only for them but for the whole region. He said both have no choice but to work together in brotherly manner to achieve common goal of peace. He assured that Afghan government will extend hand of cooperation to Pakistan to further strengthen ties between the two countries.