ISLAMABAD: Pakistan warned against the 'spoilers' both internal and external from derailing the Afghan peace process, as Taliban and Afghan government started the historic intra-Afghan negotiations in Qatar to end the four-decade long war in Afghanistan.
Addressing the opening ceremony of the intra-Afghan negotiations in Doha via a video link, Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi said that the commencement of peace negotiations was "the fruit of our combined efforts".
He asserted that the forthcoming negotiations were for the Afghans to decide about their future, adding that the Afghans alone must be the masters of their destiny, without outside influence or interference.
"Spoilers, from within and from without, will pose formidable challenges. Constant vigilance will be required to guard against their machinations," he further emphasized.
"We meet today to mark an historic occasion, when our Afghan brethren take a major step forward in their long quest for peace. Indeed, a long phase of tribulations seems ending. A new dawn is upon us," Qureshi added.
He said that the journey had not been easy, adding that there had been obstacles and setbacks; moments of doubt and despair.
"Yet, progress has been made, and preserved," he said, adding that arriving at this inflection point had been an accomplishment, and this success belonged, first and foremost, to the Afghans.
He pointed out that Pakistan had walked along-side in every possible way, by encouraging reduction in violence and by urging dialogue and negotiations.
The foreign minister added that Pakistan had fully facilitated the process that culminated in the US-Taliban peace agreement in Doha on 29 February 2020, and had reached this juncture.
He added that Pakistan and Prime Minister Imran Khan had long maintained that there was no military solution to the conflict in Afghanistan.
Political solution is the only way forward, he asserted.
"We are gratified that our perspective is now widely shared across the international community," he said, adding, "We are also gratified that we have fulfilled our part of the responsibility".
Qureshi said that it was now for the Afghan leaders to seize this historic opportunity, work together constructively, and secure an inclusive, broad-based and comprehensive political settlement.
"We hope all sides will honour their respective commitments, persevere in the face of all challenges and setbacks, and remain unflinchingly committed to achieving a positive outcome," he added.
Besides Afghanistan, he pointed out that Pakistan was the country that had suffered the most from the Afghan conflict.
Over the past 40 years, he stated that we have endured terrorist attacks, loss of precious lives, mass population displacements, instability at the borders, and huge economic costs.
"But we have persevered in the face of all difficulties and negativity...Our citizens and law enforcement personnel have rendered invaluable sacrifices. Our leadership has decisively demonstrated that Pakistan will only be a partner for peace," the foreign minister said.
At this historic juncture, he added that it was imperative that the mistakes of the past were not repeated, adding that the Afghan people must not be abandoned, as had happened before.
The progress achieved must not be frittered away, he emphasized. He further stated that a peaceful and stable Afghanistan would bring new opportunities for the progress and prosperity of the Afghan people.
It will also open new vistas of cooperation and connectivity in the region and beyond, he added.
Qureshi also suggested a four-pronged way forward, urging the international community and all concerned; (i) to continue to support the Afghan-led and Afghan-owned peace process, while respecting the consensus that emerges from intra-Afghan negotiations, (ii) to ensure that Afghanistan neither witnesses the violent days of the past nor becomes a space for elements who would harm others beyond its borders, (iii) to deepen and sustain economic engagement with Afghanistan for its reconstruction and economic development, and (iv) to ensure a well-resourced, time-bound return of Afghan refugees to their homeland with dignity and honour.
"At this moment of hope, I reassure our Afghan brethren that Pakistan will always be in full support and solidarity with them as they continue their momentous journey on the path of peace, security and development," he added.
He further stated that Pakistan would always support a peaceful, stable, united, democratic, prosperous and sovereign Afghanistan, at peace with itself and with its neighbours.
Pakistan's Special Representative for Afghanistan Mohammad Sadiq represented Pakistan in the opening ceremony of intra-Afghan negotiations in Doha, which was also attended by US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, and addressed by various foreign ministers, including Indian External Affairs Minister Jaishankar and UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres via video links.
Representatives of the Afghan government and the Taliban negotiation team were also present in the opening ceremony, which will be followed by the first ever face-to-face negotiations on Monday aimed at bringing an end to the four decades long conflict in Afghanistan.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2020
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