Prime Minister Imran Khan said on Thursday that Pakistan and its neighbouring countries, including Uzbekistan, Pakistan, Tajikistan, Iran, and Turkey, “will try and help facilitate a peace process in Afghanistan”.
Addressing a joint press conference with Uzbek President Shavkat Mirziyoyev in Tashkent, the PM said that Afghanistan’s neighbours were concerned about the deteriorating political situation in the war-torn country, where the Taliban are continuing a sweeping offensive.
“We are both concerned as neighbours of Afghanistan that the people of Afghanistan have suffered for the last 40 years,” he said while referring to the Uzbek leader.
“And as neighbours, we feel they are our brothers, that there should be peace there, there should be a peaceful political settlement. So we discussed that in detail and we also resolved that the neighbours — Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, Iran, Pakistan and even Turkey — we will try and help facilitate a peace process in Afganistan.”
Prime Minister Imran said he hoped that the foreign ministers of the above countries would meet first and “then we will go on and try and have a summit so that we can stop what looks like a civil war” in Afghanistan.
His remarks came as the Taliban have swept through much of Afghanistan’s north as US-led foreign troops complete their withdrawal, and the Afghan government now holds little more than a constellation of provincial capitals that must largely be resupplied by air.
According to a joint declaration issued after talks between Prime Minister Imran and President Mirziyoyev, the two leaders discussed the security situation in Afghanistan in detail as well as the ongoing peace process.
“The parties stressed the necessity to resolve the conflict through Afghan-led and Afghan-owned political process through peaceful and inclusive negotiations resulting in [a] comprehensive political settlement,” the statement said.
It said the Uzbek president “highly appreciated the role of Pakistan in promoting the peace process in Afghanistan and Pakistan’s contributions to the socio-economic development of Afghanistan”.
According to a joint declaration issued in Tashkent, the two countries have signed an agreement to establish a strategic partnership. Prime Minister Imran Khan and Uzbek President Shavkat Mirzaiyoyev signed the document.
The two sides reaffirmed their commitment to strengthening fraternal ties, based on religious, cultural and historical commonalities.
Both the leaders expressed satisfaction at the continued progress in bilateral relations and announced the establishment of a strategic partnership for the mutual benefit of the two countries and nations.
Imran Khan and Shavkat Mirzaiyoyev agreed to expand bilateral cooperation in all areas of mutual interest and stressed the importance of closer coordination based on coinciding positions in the international arena. They expressed satisfaction with the growing pace of inter-parliamentary cooperation and agreed on the regular exchange of parliamentary delegations to further deepen bilateral ties
Prime Minister Imran Khan underlined the importance of structured engagement between Pakistan and Uzbekistan under the five pillars of Islamabad’s “Vision Central Asia” policy based on political, trade and investment, energy and connectivity, security and defence, and people-to-people contacts.
Imran Khan also emphasized on peaceful resolution of all outstanding regional disputes and conflicts to fully utilize the enormous potential of connectivity between Central Asia and South Asia
Prime Minister Imran, moreover, hailed Uzbekistan’s efforts for Afghanistan’s socio-economic reconstruction through the implementation of a number of major projects.
Earlier today, the premier arrived in Tashkent accompanied by Minister for Information and Broadcasting Chaudhry Fawad Hussain, Interior Minister Sheikh Rashid Ahmed, Minister for Maritime Affairs Ali Haider Zaidi and National Security Adviser Moeed Yusuf.
According to Radio Pakistan, talks between the leadership of the two countries will cover the entire gamut of bilateral relations, with a particular focus on trade, economic cooperation and connectivity.
The leaders will also exchange views on regional and international issues of mutual interest.
During the visit, a number of agreements and MoUs will be signed in areas of mutual interest, including transportation of goods, cooperation between chambers of commerce of the two countries, trade, education, culture and tourism, the report said.
At the invitation of the Uzbek president, the prime minister will participate in the International Conference on Central and South Asia Regional Connectivity: Challenges and Opportunities.
with additional input from INP
Turkey is a neighbor?
Mughals have nothing to do with Pakistan, Pakistan Punjabi and Sindhi converts along with scores of Afghans
pakistan and uzbek is a great friends of pakistan as religion and historical relation both of us. you can provide such a nice information