Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi has termed the restoration of peace and stability in the war-torn Afghanistan as a ‘shared responsibility’.
Addressing the media in Islamabad on Monday (today), FM Shah Mahmood Qureshi reiterated that all stakeholders must ensure their positive input regarding ensuring peace in Afghanistan.
The foreign minister expressed concern over recent increase in violence in Afghanistan due to expedited withdrawal of foreign forces from the war-torn country.
Shah Mahmood Qureshi highlighted that 60% of foreign troops have already left Afghanistan and stressed that violence and any kind of unrest will have negative impacts for Afghanistan and in particular the ongoing peace process.
It will also result in another influx of Afghan refugees into Pakistan which will further exacerbate the situation as Pakistan already hosts millions of Afghan refugees spread across the country, noted Qureshi.
Troops withdrawal and Afghan Peace Process must be carried out with a tandem approach, he said.
Shah Mahmood Qureshi also stressed upon the significance of intra-Afghan dialogue as its success is linked regional peace and stability.
Prior to this, speaking on the issue of Durand Line during an interview with Afghan media, FM Qureshi had remarked that this Pak-Afghan border was accepted by all Afghan rulers as an internationally recognized border but something changed after Pakistan and India came into existence in 1947.
The present day Afghan leaders don’t accept it as an internationally recognized border either. But the world does, asserted Shah Mahmood Qureshi.
