Senate Foreign Relations body meets Karzai

Pakistan Senate Foreign Relations committee under the chairmanship of Senator Salim Saifullah Khan during its three-day visit called on Afghan President Hamid Karzai, Afghan Foreign Minister Zalmai Rasoul, and Chairman High Peace Council Professor Burhanuddin Rabbani in Kabul on Sunday, and discussed bilateral relations.
In a meeting it was also stressed that exchange of delegations and visit to Kabul and Islamabad is essential for strengthening economic, political and as well as war on terror.
Pakistani delegation at the meeting said that Afghans used to live for years in Pakistan and the people of both the countries have no problem. However, it admitted that distrust had sometimes developed between the two governments, saying visits by the leaders and the parliamentarians of the two countries have built bilateral confidence.
President Hamid Karzai welcomed Pakistan parliamentary delegations and said that Pakistan and Afghanistan are linked by strong historical, religious, ethnic and cultural bonds. He has said that the relationship between the two countries remains as strong as ever.
While citing Pak-Afghan strong relations he said that Pak-Afghan Joint Peace Jirga, the first of its kind in the history of Pakistan and Afghanistan, is providing an opportunity to the Pakhtuns in both countries to sit together and settle the peace issue in the region with consensus and in an amicable manner.
Senator Salim Saifullah Khan while appreciating the role of Afghan High Peace under the chairmanship of Professor Burhanuddin Rabbani said that the High Peace Council set up by President Karzai last year and headed by Burhanuddin Rabbani was in fact the only vehicle for reaching out to the Taliban and other militant groups and bringing about a final reconciliation in Afghanistan.
He has said that the people of Afghanistan and Pakistan has suffered a lot from the war on terror that a gigantic effort would be need on the part of both countries to bring stability to both countries. Pakistani delegation further highlighted long-awaited Afghan-Pak Transit Trade Agreement (Aptta) between the two states.
It further highlighted that Pakistan and Afghanistan have also signed an MoU for a rail link between the two countries, setting up a joint chamber of commerce, Pakistani aid of around $250 million for reconstruction purposes. Pakistan has enhanced the number of scholarships for Afghan students in Pakistani educational institutions from 1,000 to 2,000 and to make special arrangements for female Afghan students.
The conclusion of the dialogue between Pakistan and Afghan delegations was that the list of joint undertakings and bonds between the two countries is never ending. Both countries, according to President Karzai, are conjoined twins with linked destinies.
The delegation included Wasim Sajjad, Jehangir Bader, Afrasiab Khattak, Haji Adeel, Abbas Afridi and Lt-Col Khalid Munir.