Peaceful, stable Afghanistan vital for Pakistan, PM tells Pompeo

ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Imran Khan said that a peaceful and stable Afghanistan was vital for Pakistan.

The PM was speaking to the U.S. Secretary of State at Pakistan House in Washington, today, says a press release received from Washington here today.

Expressing satisfaction at his wide-ranging talks with President Trump at the White House yesterday, the Prime Minister said that convergence on promoting a political solution in Afghanistan had created the opportunity for regional peace and stability.

He emphasized the importance of close collaboration between Pakistan and U.S. to advance that objective.

The Prime Minister said that a strong Pakistan-U.S. partnership remained vital to the promotion of the mutual interests of the two countries as well as broader regional peace, stability and prosperity.

Reiterating his government’s support to a broad-based and enduring Pakistan-U.S. relationship, the Prime Minister emphasized the need to further enhance and diversify the bilateral content of the relationship in a wide range of areas.

PM Khan also spoke about his government’s successes in countering the scourge of terrorism and his initiatives to build peace in the region.

He noted that the Government of Pakistan had taken myriad administrative and legal measures to mainstream madrasahs. As part of his policy of “peaceful neighbourhood”, the Prime Minister highlighted Pakistan’s desire for peaceful and cooperative relations with all neighbours.

He underscored the various initiatives taken to advance this objective with regard to India.

The PM underlined that the peace dividend for both countries would be enormous with peaceful resolution of all outstanding disputes and would usher in an eras of peace, progress and prosperity in South Asia.

Foreign Minister Makhdoom Shah Mahmood Qureshi, Foreign Secretary Sohail Mahmood, Ambassador Asad M. Khan and Aftab A. Khokher Additional Secretary (Americas) joined the meeting.

Secretary Pompeo was accompanied by Under-Secretary for Political Affairs David Hale, Acting Assistant Secretary, Bureau of South and Central Asian Affairs Alice Wells and Paul W. Jones U.S. Charge d’ Affaires in Islamabad.