PESHAWAR: Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Information Adviser Barrister Saif on Saturday welcomed the federal government’s decision to initiate dialogue with Afghanistan, adding that although the decision has come late, it is a positive step in the spirit of “better late than never.”
In his statement, Saif said that the KP government had repeatedly urged the federal government to start negotiations with Afghanistan in order to take effective steps toward ending terrorism and bringing peace to the region.
He emphasised that KP was on the front line in the fight against terrorism and that it was the most affected province. Therefore, ignoring the province in this sensitive process reflects a lack of seriousness.
“The KP government had sent “Terms of Reference” (TORs) to the federal government three months ago for initiating dialogue with Afghanistan. These TORs stressed including tribal elders and all stakeholders in the process,” he added. According to him, the TORs could help make the negotiation process meaningful and successful.
He clarified that without taking all stakeholders into confidence, the dialogue process could not be fruitful. “If the government genuinely wants lasting peace in the region, it must seriously include the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government and other affected parties in the consultation process. I hope that the federal government will now adopt a more serious approach and work with all relevant parties to develop a comprehensive strategy so that lasting and sustainable peace could be achieved through negotiations with Afghanistan,” he concluded.
