KARACHI: Parliamentarians from Pakistan and Afghanistan
have stressed the need for stronger ties between the two countries to
ensure regional security.
Abdul Rauf Ibrahimi, the
speaker of Wolesi Jirga or the lower house of Afghan parliament, met a
Pakistani delegation in Kabul on Saturday and discussed ways to improve
relations between the two countries and stability in Afghanistan.
According
to a report posted on Afghanistan’s ToloNews television channel’s
website, the Pakistani delegation stressed the need for strengthened
ties between Kabul and Islamabad.
“Problems and
challenges have to be led by our people, and we strongly believe that
for a stable Pakistan, for a prosperous Pakistan, we need to see a
stable and prosperous Afghanistan. This is the concern of people at
home,” said MNA Shazia Marri.
The Wolesi Jirga’s speaker said Afghanistan was a
victim of terrorism in the region. He criticised Pakistan for the lack
of sincere cooperation in anti-terror efforts, the TV channel said.
“The
required cooperation which was provided by the Pakistan nation and
Pakistan government to Afghanistan during jihad, was not provided after
the victory of mujahedeen,” Speaker Ibrahimi said.
One
member of the Pakistani delegation reacted to Mr Ibrahimi’s remarks, and
said: “No country suffered like Pakistan. We used to have more than
2,500 bombings in Pakistan and we have launched the biggest operation
against terrorism and extremism in Pakistan which is like no other
country. We are getting out of it and our relations on that front are
improving.”
The channel did not name the Pakistani parliamentarian concerned.
The
visit of the Pakistani delegation to Kabul comes as Islamabad is to
host a meeting of lawmakers from Afghanistan, Pakistan, Iran, China and
Russia to discuss the war on terror.
Mr Ibrahimi was invited by the Pakistani delegation to attend the meeting next week in Islamabad.
Also,
Geo News reported that parliamentarians from the two countries as well
as defence and foreign affairs experts attended a meeting of the
Pak-Afghan Joint Action Committee in Kabul on Saturday.
It
said that the meeting welcomed the military cooperation between the two
countries and urged the two sides to immediately start talks for mutual
trade.
