ISLAMABAD: The Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) has noted with concern that entire world is engaged in formulating policy with regard to Afghanistan “while the PTI government’s only priority is political victimisation and persecution of the opposition”.
The party’s senior leadership held a consultative meeting on the Afghanistan situation, Wednesday, which was presided over by PML-N ‘Quaid’ Nawaz Sharif, according to a statement, issued here by the party’s spokesperson Marriyum Aurangzeb.
The meeting was attended by PML-N president Shehbaz Sharif, Shahid Khaqan Abbasi, Khawaja Asif, Ahsan Iqbal, Ishaq Dar [via video link from London], Maryam Nawaz, Pervaiz Rasheed, Sardar Ayaz Sadiq, Rana Tanveer, Mushahid Hussian Sayed, Khawaja Saad Rafique, Khurram Dastaghir, Rana Sanuallah, Amir Muqam, Marriyum Aurangzeb, and Attaullah Tarar.
“PML-N expressed strong dismay that whereas the global community is actively engaged in deliberating the Afghanistan issue to evolve their own national policies in this regard, the PTI government’s only priority is political victimisation and persecution of the opposition, while the Parliament remains under lock,” it stated.
It added that the senior PML-N leaders recalled the efforts of former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif for peace and reconciliation in Afghanistan during his three terms in office, when Pakistan maintained a relationship of mutual respect with all its neighbours.
“PML-N welcomes the dialogue process in Kabul between the Taliban and other stakeholders, and hopes that this dialogue will result in the formation of a broad-based government in Afghanistan. Achievement of a national consensus in Afghanistan will be a major step forward in bringing peace and reconciliation to the Afghan people,” the statement added.
It added that the PML-N respects the sovereignty of the Afghan people to determine their political future free from any foreign interference; neither can Afghan territory be used against its neighbours nor can any other country’s territory be used to undermine the sovereignty of Afghanistan and anticipates that the sovereignty of the people and the state of Pakistan shall be respected reciprocally.
“PML-N feels that peace, security, and stability between Pakistan and Afghanistan are linked and the two brotherly neighbours need to cooperate and trade with each other to build a prosperous future for their people and the region,” it added.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2021