ISLAMABAD: Foreign Office spokesman has said that Pakistan fully support Afghan peace and reconciliation process.
Pakistan says it is committed to promoting peace and reconciliation in Afghanistan for the best interest of the two countries as well as the region, Radio Pakistan reported.
This was stated by Foreign Office Spokesman Qazi Khalilullah during his weekly news briefing in Islamabad on Friday.
He said Pakistan fully supports Afghan-led and Afghan-owned peace and reconciliation process. It is upto Afghanistan to take next step in this regard, and Pakistan remains ready to facilitate.
He said Advisor on National Security and Foreign Affairs Sartaj Aziz who is in Kabul to attend the 6th Regional Economic Cooperation Conference on Afghanistan will also have meetings with Afghanistan leadership. Matters of bilateral interest and concerns will be discussed in the meetings.
Qazi Khalilullah said Pakistan, at the meetings, will also raise its concerns relating to security of its embassy’s officials in the prevailing charged anti-Pakistan atmosphere in Afghanistan.
He will also stress the need to stop anti-Pakistan campaign that has been visible for sometime in Afghanistan as it will be counter-productive and will not serve the interests of the people of the two countries.
He said Pakistani side will convey that it is committed to maintaining friendly, brotherly and good neighbourly relations with Afghanistan.
To a question, Foreign Office Spokesman said during the recent visit of US National Security Advisor to Islamabad, bilateral relations in trade, energy, defence, security and counter-terrorism were discussed.
He said Operation Zarb-e-Azb has met with resounding success and actions have been taken against all terrorists without any discrimination. He said there is no distinction between good and bad terrorists.
Answering a question, the Spokesman said 1.9 billion dollars have so far been spent on Operation Zarb-e-Azb and return of Temporary Displaced Persons.
He said Pakistan has met these expenditures from its own resources. He said Coalition Support Fund (CSF) is reimbursement of the expenditures Pakistan incurred before the start of Operation Zarb-e-Azb. He said talks with the US authorities for the release of this fund are underway.
Replying to a question regarding scheduled meeting between Director Generals of Pakistan Rangers and Indian Border Security Force this month, he said it is still intact.
