President Hamid Karzai concluded a two-day visit to Pakistan where he made exclusive meetings with high officials in Islamabad paving a way for peace talks with the Taliban and relieving tensions ahead of Afghanistan's presidential elections and US drawdown next year. The Afghan leader was making his 20th trip to Pakistan in the last ten years. However, much optimism is expected out of president’s current visit.
Leading a delegation of key security team, President Karzai extended his visit for another day on Monday evening, subsequent to Pakistan's Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif urging him to stay for another day to discuss some of relenting issues.
The two premiers had one-on-one meeting, which was followed by general comments to the press without commenting any questions.
Asides of meetings, Kabul and Islamabad signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to build a water dam in Kunar River, which can potentially produce hydropower energy benefiting both the countries.
We all know peace and good relations between Afghanistan and Pakistan are crucial to the future of the people of both countries and the region as a whole. It is also obvious that, notably after the US withdrawal of troops in 2014 from Afghanistan, both nations will need to cooperate even more closely if they are to defeat the menace of militancy, insurgency and extremism.
It was a laudable signs that Kabul and Islamabad are willing to revise the situation and relations rottened by the entity of disbelieve and ultimately vetoed collaboration, is absolutely encouraging.
President Karzai, avowed Pakistan’s could bridge talks between the Taliban and the Afghanistan High Peace Council (HPC). It is greatly expected from the gesture and assurances Nawaz Sharif made to President Karzai that a positive breakthrough might be seen in the eminent future relative to talks with Taliban. This time lets hope that promises will be kept.
Given both the countries deeply respect the sanctity of interests lying deep-down in others’ soil, the correlation should not only improve and develop but also channelized on the road to economic prosperity. President Karzai seen frequently asking Pakistan to play its part bringing Taliban on the table of negotiation, must be responded positively, as demonstrated previously when Pakistan deliberately freed the Taliban inmates to ease Afghan peace talks.
It is worth mentioning the relentless tale of accusation and counter accusation must be depreciated once for ever. As a substitute a bilateral facts finding committee should be constituted, assigned to interrogate the multi aspect of any issue putting the relationship at standstill. What importantly assessed is that Islamabad has to cordially accept Afghanistan’s sovereignty, and should extend his virtual and unconditional support making it a vibrant democracy in the region. We hope both the countries will stick to prosperity and developments of each other and in that regard more is needed to strengthen the relations between the two neighbors.