ISLAMABAD: Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi on Thursday said that peace in Afghanistan was Pakistan's top priority due to its high stakes in return of stability to Afghanistan and the region.

He expressed these views in a telephonic conversation with acting Foreign Minister of Afghanistan Haneef Atmar.

Qureshi said it was important that the Afghan leaders seized the historic opportunity and achieved an inclusive, broad-based and comprehensive political settlement in Afghanistan.

He welcomed the recent developments on the release of prisoners, and urged all the parties to take requisite steps for the commencement of Intra-Afghan Negotiations at the earliest.

Qureshi also expressed satisfaction at the successful holding of the second review meeting of Afghanistan-Pakistan Action Plan for Peace and Solidarity (APAPPS) in Kabul recently.

He stressed that the positive momentum after the APAPPS should be followed up by implementing all its decisions. Both sides agreed that the APAPPS provided a comprehensive and pertinent forum to address all issues on key tracks of bilateral relations.

Highlighting Pakistan's contribution towards economic development in Afghanistan, Foreign Minister Qureshi expressed the hope that necessary steps would be taken to operationalise Ghulam Khan Border terminal for Afghan transit trade, which would further facilitate Afghanistan's trade with the rest of the world.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2020