Pakistan will participate in a regional conference on Afghanistan to be hosted by Russia later this month, which is also bringing together high officials from India, Afghanistan, Iran and China to discuss Afghan peace process and spillover effects of Daesh and other militants in these countries, it was learnt. Official sources said that Pakistan has confirmed attendance at the conference but the level of participation would be decided in the days to come.
"Pakistan has always welcomed efforts aimed at bringing peace and stability in war-torn Afghanistan and will participate in the conference in Moscow as well", a senior government official said while talking to Business Recorder. Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov announced the regional conference on Tuesday in Moscow after a meeting with his Afghan counterpart Salahuddin Rabbani, saying Afghanistan has formally been invited to the conference and most of the countries have already confirmed their participation in mid-February conference.
The sources said that the upcoming conference in Moscow is a follow up of the trilateral mechanism between Russia, Pakistan and China on Afghanistan where all the three countries expressed serious concerns of the spillover effects of the militants especially Daesh in their respective countries.
In its last meeting on December 27, 2016 in Moscow, the sources said that it was decided to continue consultations in an expanded format and Afghanistan was also invited to become part of the forum. Later on more countries including India and Iran were invited to the conference. However, the US - a key stakeholder in Afghanistan - has not been invited to the conference.
The conference is being held amid increasing violence in Afghanistan, which the Afghan government blames on the alleged terrorist 'safe havens' inside Pakistan's tribal areas, a charge Pakistan has always rejected. On Wednesday, a suicide bomber attacked Supreme Court in Kabul, killing 21 including nine women and injuring more than 40 others. Pakistan condemned the attack and condoled with the victims families. "Pakistan strongly condemns the suicide attack outside Supreme Court of Afghanistan.The people and the government of Pakistan extends their heartfelt sympathies and deepest condolences to the government and people of Afghanistan and to the bereaved families," Foreign Office said in a statement.
"We pray for early recovery of the injured. We firmly stand with our Afghan brothers in this hour of grief and anguish", the statement added. It was followed by a strong condemnation by Corps Commanders' conference which was held at GHQ with Army Chief General Qamar Javed Bajwa in the chair.
"Forum also condemned recent terrorist incidents in Afghanistan and expressed solidarity with Afghan people and their security forces in defeating terrorism", ISPR said in a statement. Afghan Ambassador to Pakistan Dr Omar Zakhilwal also held a meeting with Adviser to the Prime Minister on Foreign Affairs Sartaj Aziz on Wednesday and discussed issues of common concerns.
According to the sources, the two sides strongly condemned the terrorist attack in Kabul and agreed to work closely for the restoration of peace and stability in both the countries. According to Lieutenant General (retd) Talat Masood, a senior security analyst, being close neighbours, Pakistan and Afghanistan need to coordinate efforts to root out the menace of terrorism instead of indulging in a blame game. He said that close cooperation between the two countries in an atmosphere free of blame is necessary for the success of counterterrorism operations on both sides of the border.