Foreign Minister Makhdoom Shah Mahmood Qureshi called on Vice President of Afghanistan Mohammad Karim Khalili on Thursday. Referring to strong brotherly relationship existing between the two countries, the Foreign Minister reaffirmed Pakistan's commitment to further strengthen its relations with Afghanistan, said a statement issued by the Foreign Office here.
He said that a stable, peaceful and prosperous Afghanistan is in Pakistan's interest and that peace and stability of the two countries are intertwined. He assured the Afghan Vice President that Pakistan supports the road-map laid down by the Kabul conference recently, and earlier, by the Afghan Peace Jirga. Pakistan believes that the reconciliation and re-integration process has to be broad-based and Afghan-led.
He noted that the relationship between the two countries have entered into a new era of cooperation and hoped that both sides will show the necessary restraint to further consolidate this cooperation. Pakistan has offered $330 million for Afghanistan's reconstruction and has recently increased the number of scholarships for Afghan students from 1000 to 2000. About 6000 Afghan students are already enrolled in Pakistan's various Universities and Colleges.
The Afghan Vice President expressed deep sympathies over the tragic loss of precious lives and devastation caused by the torrential rains and floods in Pakistan. The Foreign Minister thanked the Afghan government for providing four helicopters for rescue operations. Thanking the government of Pakistan for its generous development assistance, the Afghan Vice President said that the assistance indicates Pakistan's strong commitment to the reconstruction of Afghanistan.
He hoped that the cooperation that they have seen after the change of government in Pakistan will continue to expand further. He assured that the Afghan leadership is determined to strengthen this relationship. The Vice President also thanked the government and people of Pakistan for hosting the Afghan refugees and the offer the Government of Pakistan has made for the training of Afghan Police and Army officials. Both leaders noted that the recently concluded negotiations on Afghanistan-Pakistan Transit Trade Agreement would further strengthen expanding relations between the two countries.-PR
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