First meeting of Pakistan Afghanistan Joint Working Groups will be held in Kabul on Saturday.
ISLAMABAD,(Pakistan Point News - 02nd Feb, 2018) : First meeting of Pakistan Afghanistan Joint Working Groups will be held in Kabul on Saturday. This was announced by Foreign Office Spokesperson Dr Muhammad Faisal during weekly news briefing in Islamabad on Friday. The Spokesperson said Foreign Secretary Tehmina Janjua will lead the Pakistani delegation. He said Pakistan had proposed five joint working groups which focus on ensuring comprehensive engagement for countering terrorism, intelligence sharing, military, economy, trade and transit interaction, refugee repatriation and connectivity.
Dr Faisal said Pakistan has always maintained that there is no military path to peace and stability in Afghanistan and only an Afghan led and Afghan owned peace process will ensure peace there. Responding to a question, the spokesperson said it is up to Afghanistan to reach settlement among different Afghan groups and Pakistan will continue to support such efforts. To a question about Pak-US relations, the spokesperson said we wish for strong relations with United States based on mutual respect and friendship.
The spokesperson said Pakistan looks forward to mutually beneficial partnership with all countries and its foreign policy reflects the aspirations of its people and serves its national interests. He said Pakistan has taken indiscriminate action against all terrorist groups with the commitment to eradicate terrorism in all its forms and manifestations. He said it is unfair to blame Pakistan for security lapses in Afghanistan as the vast swathes of ungoverned territories in Afghanistan being used by terror groups as sanctuaries.
The Spokesman said Pakistan urges international community to fulfill its obligations as bloodshed and atrocities of Indian forces continue in occupied Kashmir. To a question about ceasefire violations along Line of Control by India, the Spokesperson said the United Nations Military Observer Group for India and Pakistan is the best mechanism to monitor the situation along the LoC but India is not cooperating with it. He said Pakistan urges India to move forward so that peace and tranquility can be ensured.
