Pakistan vows all-out help for Afghan peace

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan on Friday reiterated its commitment for peace in Afghanistan through an Afghan-led and Afghan-owned peace process. A meeting of the National Security Committee (NSC) chaired by Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi reviewed current developments in the relationship with Afghanistan as well as common avenues for continued cooperation, especially border management and repatriation of refugees, a handout released by the PM’s office said. “Participants of the meeting reiterated their commitment for peace in Afghanistan through an Afghan-led and Afghan-owned peace process,” the statement read. Participants of the meeting resolved to keep Pakistan’s defence impregnable against all forms of external aggression, the statement said. Members of the committee were briefed on Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi and Foreign Minister Khawaja Asif’s recent foreign trips during the high-level meeting also attended by top civil-military officials in Islamabad. The committee was told that PM Abbasi and Asif had “engaged the leadership of several important countries to share Pakistan’s perspective on regional and global security challenges,” the statement said. “Salient aspects and outcomes of the prime minister’s visit to New York for the UN General Assembly (UNGA) were also shared with the committee,” the handout read. The NSC was informed that Pakistan’s “continued engagement with leading world powers on matters of regional security had generated a supportive sentiment for Pakistan amongst world leaders during interactions on the sidelines of the UNGA”, according to the PM House. “Additionally, PM Abbasi met with UN chief Antonio Guterres and handed over a dossier documenting the systematic human rights violations by India in Indian-occupied Jammu and Kashmir and stressed the need for appointing a special envoy to Jammu and Kashmir,” the statement said. The NSC expressed concern over repeated Indian ceasefire violations along the Line of Control and the Working Boundary which resulted in the loss of innocent lives due to shelling and firing by Indian Border Security Forces. The committee condemned human rights violations in India-held Kashmir and the excessive use of force by Indian security forces against unarmed civilians. The committee was briefed on Foreign Minister Khawaja Asif’s visit to key regional players, including China, Iran and Turkey, where he apprised their leaders of Pakistan’s perspective on regional and international issues, the handout said. Finance Minister Ishaq Dar, Foreign Minister Khawaja Asif, Chairman Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee Gen Zubair Hayat, all three services’ chiefs and senior civil and military officials attended the meeting. Prime Minister Abbasi had a brief meeting with US President Donald Trump and Vice-President Mike Pence on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly’s session during his recent visit to New York. Abbasi’s meeting with VP Pence was the highest contact between the two sides since new US policy for South Asia was announced on Aug 21. Pakistan had postponed the bilateral interactions and summoned its diplomats to mull over a response and chalk out a new strategy. The meeting on the sidelines of the 72nd UNGA session in New York was held in a cordial atmosphere, a handout issued by the Foreign Office had said. “Prime Minister [Abbasi] shared Pakistan’s concerns and views with regard to the US strategy for South Asia. It was agreed that the two countries would stay engaged with a constructive approach to achieve shared objectives of peace, stability and economic prosperity in the region,” it said. Pence had told Abbasi the US valued its relationship with Pakistan and “looking forward to exploring ways so that we can work even more closely with Pakistan and with your government to advance security throughout the region.” “We have made our contributions, we fought a very difficult war, we suffered casualties and have suffered economic losses and that is the message that we bring to the world,” Abbasi had told the US vice-president.   Published in Daily Times, September 30th 2017.