— Says Pakistan and Afghanistan have to jointly invest in infrastructure, especially railways, corridor projects
ISLAMABAD: Afghanistan’s Acting Foreign Minister Amir Muttaqi on Monday urged Pakistan government and the outlawed Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) sit together for dialogue.
Speaking at the Institute of Strategic Studies in Islamabad, Muttaqi said that the Afghan Taliban had helped initiate negotiations between Islamabad and the TTP.
“We do not want any bloodshed and unrest on the land of Pakistan,” he maintained, adding that the two neighbouring countries face serious security and political challenges.
On the Afghan interim government’s ban on girls’ education, the acting FM clarified that the Taliban never said that women’s education was “un-Islamic” or it is “prohibited”.
He stated that the Afghan Taliban have said that educational activities will remain suspended until further orders.
Muttaqi also said that Afghanistan’s territory will not be allowed to be used against any country, adding that “Pakistan and Afghanistan have to jointly invest in infrastructure, especially railways, and corridor projects”.
He added that the people of Pakistan and Afghanistan have made sacrifices and now “we have to take advantage of the opportunities for economic development”.
The acting FM also stressed that economic connectivity with Pakistan and Central Asian countries is important.
Referring to Afghanistan’s current economic situation, Muttaqi said that the Taliban government has tried to overcome the challenges and improve the situation after coming to power.
The foreign minister also added that according to a World Bank report, inflation has decreased in the war-torn country and the Afghan currency has also stabilised.
Muttaqi is currently on a four-day visit to Pakistan. Besides holding bilateral meetings, he has also participated in the 5th China-Pakistan-Afghanistan Trilateral Foreign Ministers’ Dialogue on Saturday.
In February, a high-level delegation led by Pakistan’s defence minister visited Kabul and conveyed its concerns, and told the Afghan interim government that the policy of holding talks with the TTP was over.
The visit had come against the backdrop of a surge in terrorist attacks in Pakistan. Attacks in Peshawar Police Lines and Karachi Police Office had compelled Pakistani authorities to reach out to the Afghan Taliban.
