Saturday, September 10, 2016
Kabul (BNA) President Mohammad Ashraf Ghani met UK’s special envoy to Afghanistan and Pakistan Owen Jenkins, here the other day, a presidential statement said, adding both sides discussed economic cooperation and returning of Afghan refugees from Pakistan.
Congratulating President Ghani over holding of the Joint Coordinating and Monitoring Board – JCMB meeting, the UK envoy said that the meeting was much effective for Afghanistan and call it as good sign and message for the upcoming Brussels Conference. Besides supporting the Afghan-led and Afghan-owned peace process, the UK envoy said that the process need regional support, and his country would spare no efforts to attract the int’l community’s attention for establishment of a durable peace in Afghanistan.
The envoy went on saying that Islamabad wants to accelerate the repatriation process of the Afghan refugees, adding that thousands of Afghans are expected to return back to their country in the coming years.
Thanking UK’s continued cooperation to Afghanistan, the president said that peace in the region has direct links with peace in Afghanistan.
Present Ghani went on saying that peace and stability is the only demands of Afghanistan, adding that regional countries, including the Saudi Arabia and other gulf nations supporting Afghan-led peace process and are ready to take practical steps on this aspect.
“Afghan National and Defense Forces are bravely fighting with the terrorist networks and has defeated them in different line of combats. But their recent attacks show they are being equipped properly,” the president told UK envoy, adding support and supplying of the terrorist networks by the neighboring country, is contrary to principles of being good neighbors and the international norms and is no longer acceptable for the Afghan nation.
The president said that Pakistan has always given promises to restoration of peace and stability in the country, but the country has not yet taken any practical steps to prove their stance.
“Pakistan wants to exert pressures through Afghan refugees, but we are prepare to accept them and has already taken the steps to provide them accommodations,” the president added.
The president added: “Afghan refugees are tired of Pakistan’s act and the country’s threats against them and willing to return back to their country. Therefore Intentional community’s cooperation important to accomplish the process in proper manner.”
The president said that Afghanistan is no longer a dry land, but has been connected to major transit hubs, adding Pakistan has not allowed Afghan goods to pass Wagah port and therefor Afghanistan will also not allow the neighboring country to have its product reach to central Asian countries through the country’s transit ways.
According to the president, Pakistan has always tried to ban ways for the exportation of the Afghan fruits during the summer season which has caused millions of USD losses to Afghan businessman, adding that in a fresh measure, India has shown readiness to accept the fruits without charging any taxes on Afghan side. The president said that Afghanistan trying to invest and improve regional economic cooperation, asking the regional countries, including Pakistan to help the process.
