PESHAWAR: A senior Afghan diplomat on Wednesday cautiously
responded to a question over the proposed merger of the Federally
Administered Tribal Areas with Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and suggested that
tribal people’s consent be sought before taking a decision on the
matter.
“Our government has no reservations over the
merger, but the opinion of the people of the area is paramount before
taking such a major decision,” said Peshawar-based Afghan consul general
Mohammad Moeen Marastial at a news conference at the press club on
Wednesday.
When a reporter sought the Afghan
government’s stance on the proposed Fata-KP merger, Mr Marastial said
the opinion of the people should be taken into consideration before
taking major decisions, though Kabul had no reservations over the
merger.
The Afghan diplomat’s statement appears to
support the stance of the Jamiat Ulema-i-Islam-Fazl, which also calls
for obtaining the consent of the tribal people before the merger. Like
the JUI-F, the Pakhtunkhwa Milli Awami Party (PkMAP) also has serious
apprehensions over the merger plan.
Marastial says Chabahar port will not affect Afghanistan’s trade with Pakistan
Giving a statement in the National Assembly last Friday,
PkMAP chief Mehmood Khan Achakzai had warned that it was a “sensitive
issue” and Afghanistan could raise objections to any move to change the
status of Fata.
Mr Marastial said that Iran’s Chabahar
port would not affect his country’s trade with Pakistan, adding that
Chabahar would facilitate trade among Iran, Afghanistan and Central
Asian states, while the Karachi port would cater to commercial
requirements of Pakistan and Afghanistan.
“Chabahar port
will have no effect on bilateral trade between Afghanistan and
Pakistan,” he said, adding that cordial relations between Pakistan and
Afghanistan could bridge ties among regional countries. The first phase
of the Chabahar port was inaugurated early this month and it will serve
as an alternative trade route to landlocked Afghanistan.
The
educationist-turned-diplomat Moeen Marastial recently took charge in
Peshawar. He replaced Abdul Waheed Poyan who has been posed as consul
general in Karachi. Before his assignment in Peshawar, he was associate
professor in Kabul University.
Mr Marastial was of the
view that Kabul and Islamabad should improve relations and cooperation
in different fields, including trade, education, culture and transport,
instead of dragging their feet on political issues.
“Economic,
trade and cultural ties can pave the way for resolving political issues
between the two neighbours,” he said, adding that both countries should
first improve trade and cultural relations. He said the consulate had
very limited objectives and he wanted to strengthen relations with
Pakistan in different sectors, including education, transport and
culture.
“I will try my best not to involve the Peshawar
consulate in political disputes,” he said and added that soon after
taking charge he held a meeting with academicians and traders. He said
that Islamia College University had increased reserved seats for Afghan
students from nine to 15. Similarly, on his request, he said, the KP
government had simplified admission process for refugees in schools and
colleges. He called for greater cooperation and exchange of delegations
between Pakistani and Afghan universities.
In reply to a
question, the consul general said that Pakistan and Afghanistan were
suffering due to prevailing lawlessness and, therefore, they should make
joint efforts to bring about a lasting peace.
He said
that other powers, including America, China, Iran and India, were
protecting their own interests in the region and Pakistan and
Afghanistan should also safeguard their mutual interests.
Mr
Marastial categorically stated that Afghanistan would not allow any
group or country to use its soil against any country, including
Pakistan.