India’s role crucial for Afghan peace process: Pakistan
Pakistan has recently, for probably the first time in history, acknowledged that India has stakes in Afghanistan and its cooperation is necessary for the peace process in the war-torn country.
Speaking in the National Assembly on Monday, Pakistan Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi said Pakistan alone cannot bring peace in Afghanistan as it was a “shared responsibility” of regional countries.
“Prime Minister Imran Khan had said that peace could not be established in Afghanistan through military power. Today the U.S., Pakistan, Afghanistan and Taliban also wanted a solution through dialogue,” Mr. Qureshi said.
“Some meetings have taken place [among key stakeholders] for establishment of peace in Afghanistan. India also has stakes in Afghanistan and its cooperation will also be needed,” he added.
Probably for the first time, #Pakistan has acknowledged that #India has stakes in Afghanistan and its cooperation is necessary for the peace process in the war-torn countryhttps://t.co/SFFQAafGGk
— moneycontrol (@moneycontrolcom) December 11, 2018
He said the U.S. President Donald Trump in a letter to Mr. Khan had asked Pakistan to help and facilitate the peace process in Afghanistan.
Speaking about relations with India, Mr. Qureshi expressed the hope that New Delhi will reciprocate Pakistan’s goodwill gesture of taking the initiative to open the Kartarpur corridor for Indian Sikh pilgrims.
The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) government of India “unwillingly” had to accept the Pakistani offer to open the corridor and they later approved it through a resolution in a Cabinet meeting, he said.
Qureshi also said that Pakistan was hopeful that India will review its policy in Kashmir.
Khan had earlier reaffirmed Pakistan’s “abiding interest” in achieving lasting peace in Afghanistan during a meeting with US special envoy Zalmay Khalilzad.
