President Mamnoon Hussain on Wednesday expressed the confidence that Pakistan and Afghanistan will work together with mutual understanding and spirit of brotherhood for resolution of the problems of the region. Addressing a function of High Education Commission (HEC) in Islamabad, he hoped that both Pakistan and Afghanistan will go together in the journey of development and prosperity.
The President said both the countries had close historic, cultural and religious relations. He said "it should be our top priority that political differences and the changing environment will not affect relationship between the two countries." He said wars and disturbances had halted the process of development in the region and the Afghan people were affected directly. However, he said negatives forces were now breathing their last.
Mamnoon Hussain hoped that the Afghan leadership and people would foil internal and external conspiracies and play their role in development and prosperity. The President urged the Afghan students studying in Educational Institutions in Pakistan on scholarships to work hard and play their due role for bright future of the new generation. He said they should take full benefit of development opportunities.
He said Pakistan was desirous of involving Afghanistan in the process of development and prosperity with open heart, and called upon the Afghan students to ensure peace, stability, development and prosperity with their hard work. The President urged the Afghan leadership to reject the forces trying to create mistrust and misconceptions between Pakistan and Afghanistan. Mamnoon Hussain said time demanded that the Islamic countries forged unity to collectively meet all the challenges.
Speaking on the occasion, Adviser on Foreign Affairs Sartaj Aziz said Pakistan desired all encompassing relations with Afghanistan including at the government to government and people to people levels in order to further promote the relations between the two countries.
He pointed out that after the successful completion of first phase of scholarship programme for Afghan students, the Prime Minister had announced another 3,000 scholarships for the Afghan youth, which would enable more Afghan students enroll in Pakistani universities. He was confident that those Afghan students would contribute to upscale friendly relations.
In his remarks, Chairman Higher Education Commission Mukhtar Ahmad said HEC was offering every kind of assistance to the Afghan government to build the necessary infrastructure for higher education, adding it would help the Afghan youth to contribute to the socio economic development of their country.
Afghan Minister for Higher Education Farida Moman thanked Pakistan for providing an opportunity to Afghan students for getting education in Pakistani institutions on scholarship basis.
She said "this is the real human resource that will play key role in the reconstruction of Afghanistan." She said her country was looking forward to extend this cooperation and promote student exchange programmes in order to bring the peoples of both countries more closer to each other.