ISLAMABAD: Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi held a telephonic conversation with his Afghan counterpart Mohammad Hanif Atmar to discuss the Afghan peace process and the withdrawal of the US troops from the war-torn country.
During the conversation, Qureshi, who is in Dubai on a three-day visit, reiterated that a peaceful and stable Afghanistan was in the interest of Pakistan, a press statement said.
He said Islamabad participated in efforts made to establish peace and stability in the region, including Afghanistan, and sought an end to violence in the neighbouring country.
The top diplomat further reiterated that Pakistan would continue its reconciliation efforts to bring peace and stability to Afghanistan.
He expressed the hope that under the Heart of Asia – Istanbul Process, the Doha Agreement between the US and Afghan Taliban would be helpful in ensuring durable peace.
Turkey will host a peace summit for Afghanistan from April 24 to May 4 meant to jump-start efforts to end the war and sketch out a possible political settlement. Representatives of the Afghan government, United States, United Nations, Qatar, and others will take part in the 10-day summit.
Turkey’s foreign ministry said on Tuesday the Afghan government and the Taliban would attend the meeting. But the Taliban later said it will not attend any summits on Afghanistan’s future until all foreign forces leave the country.
Atmar appreciated diplomatic, political, and moral support extended by Pakistan for result-oriented peace dialogue and thanked Qureshi and Islamabad in this regard.
Both sides also agreed to meet in Istanbul. Qureshi also invited Atmar to visit Pakistan following the HoA-IP meeting. The two also exchanged Ramadan greetings.
QURESHI VISITS UAE EXPO:
Meanwhile, Foreign Minister Qureshi visited Pakistan Pavilion at the Expo 2020 Dubai site.
On arrival, he was received by the Expo 2020 team and was briefed about their plans for the event. Pakistan team’s Director General Rizwan Tariq informed Qureshi about the pavilion during the tour.
Pakistan Ambassador to the UAE Afzaal Mahmood and Consul General Ahmed Amjad Ali also accompanied Qureshi.
Speaking on the occasion, Qureshi said: “Pakistan Pavilion at the Exp 2020 Dubai site is the testimony of strong relations between UAE and Pakistan. I believe that the Pakistan Pavilion will further help strengthen bilateral and trade relations between the two countries.”
According to a Gulf News report, the pavilion was being built at the cost of $28.72 million. The initial cost was estimated to be around $16 million, but it jumped due to some addition to its design.
Expo 2020 Dubai is scheduled to be held between October 1 and March 31 next year under the theme of “Connecting Minds, Creating the future”.
Pakistan Pavilion will showcase the “hidden treasures” of the country including the 7,000-year-old civilisation. Visitors to the pavilion will get to know about the country through a digital audio visual experience.
