Pakistan Muslim League-N (PML-N) Quaid Muhammad Nawaz Sharif has called upon the Obama Administration to promote genuine political reconciliation in Afghanistan. He made this remark while talking to Ambassador Frank Fuggurio, the newly appointed Acting US Special Envoy for Afghanistan and Pakistan, who called on him here on Friday.
Nawaz emphasised that decades of conflict and internal strife in Afghanistan were having negative impact on Pakistan. The fall out of the civil war in Afghanistan was adversely affecting Pakistan's economy and the law and order situation, while promoting extremism and militancy as well.
He maintained that Afghanistan was not merely a neighbour, but a country with which Pakistan shared ties of history, religion, culture and language. It was, therefore, in Pakistan's interest that peace and order be restored to that country and the people provided the opportunity to recover from the 30 years of foreign occupation and domestic strife. He urged a comprehensive political strategy to support and implement the US military strategy in Afghanistan.
The US Special Envoy thanked PML-N chief for his observations, which characterised as the most valuable as it would assist the administration in formulating its policy towards this region. He also briefed the PML-N leader on the Obama Administration's current thinking on Afghanistan. Nawaz was accompanied by Punjab Chief Minister, Muhammad Shahbaz Sharif, Senator Ishaq Dar and leader of the opposition in NA, Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan, whereas the US Envoy was assisted by the US Ambassador Cameron Munter.-PR