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Pakistan opposes Talibanization, FM tells Afghan parliamentary

IRNA - Islamic Republic News Agency

Islamabad, May 7, IRNA -- Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi Thursday told the visiting Afghan parliamentary speaker that Pakistan opposes Talibanization in his country and Afghanistan.

“Talbanization” did not represent the true spirit of Islam,” the Foreign Minister said in meeting with Speaker Afghan Parliament, Mohammad Yunus Qanuni, the Foreign Office said.

The Foreign Minister expressed satisfaction at Afghanistan’s assurance that the soil of Afghanistan would not be allowed to use against Pakistan.

He said Pakistan was also committed to the same principle.

The Foreign Minister observed that Pakistan was keenly looking forward to Peace Jirga, Kabul Conference and parliamentary elections in Afghanistan in June, July and September, respectively.

He said that Pakistan was confident that these important events would help promote peace and stability in Afghanistan.

The Foreign Minister said that the transition strategy envisaging shifting of responsibility in Afghanistan would not work unless it was consistent with ground realities.

He said that setting timelines should be based on realistic assessment of the situation.

The Foreign Minister said that it was encouraging that our two countries had agreed to increase the bilateral trade from currently US$ 1.5 billion to US$ 5 billion by 2015.

Qanuni underlined that Pakistan and Afghanistan were facing common threats.

In order for the two countries to deal with them it was essential that they agreed on the definition of these threats, a Foreign Ministry statement said.

He also briefed the Foreign Minister about the situation in Afghanistan, especially in Kandhar and Halmand, underlining that a minority must not be allowed to impose its will on a vast majority of the people of Afghanistan who were democratic and progressive.

Qanuni said Pakistan and Afghanistan had to live together for all times to come and expressed satisfaction that bilateral ties in the last two years had significantly developed and the credit for this went to the democratic Governments of the two countries.