ISLAMABAD: National Assembly Speaker Sardar Ayaz Sadiq has said that Pakistan is the largest stakeholder in a peaceful and prosperous Afghanistan, and the future of both the countries is linked together.
Talking to Afghan Ambassador Dr Hazrat Omar Zakhilwal at Parliament House on Wednesday, he said that Pakistan and Afghanistan were partners for peace and stability, consolidation of democracy, and human development in the region and beyond.
He said that historical, cultural, religious and geographical affinities, as well as commonality of our challenges, bonded the two countries together in a strategically amicable relation.
Referring to the current trust deficit in bilateral relations, the speaker underlined the need for a comprehensive engagement and collective dialogue as highly imperative for harmonious relations. He said that Pak-Afghan relations were deep-rooted, especially when it came to people-to-people contact, cultural affinities and shared interests.
He also stressed the need for cooperation like brothers to resolve immediate problems and help future generations in building trust networks for mutual gains. He highlighted the need for stronger Pak-Afghan inter-parliamentary engagements cemented by frequent exchange of delegations.
The Afghan Ambassador endorsed Ayaz Sadiq’s proposal for fruitful and consistent inter-parliamentary relations to bridge the recent trust deficit. He reiterated that Pakistan and Afghanistan were inseparable in terms of joint challenges, and said that both the countries were determined to open a new chapter of cordial bilateral relations.
He said that relations with Pakistan were of paramount importance in the Afghan foreign policy.
