Afghan soil will not be used against Pakistan, Hanafi tells Pakistan’s NSA

Afghan Deputy Prime Minister Mullah Abdul Salam Hanafi said on Saturday during a meeting in Kabul with Pakistan’s National Security Adviser (NSA) Moeed Yusuf that Afghanistan’s soil will not be used against Pakistan.

He also called for the early completion of Turkmenistan-Afghanistan-Pakistan-India (TAPI) Gas Pipeline, the Central Asia-South Asia power line, and other projects.

“The policy of the Islamic Emirate is not to allow anyone to use Afghan territory against its neighbors and other countries,” he said adding that the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan (IEA) expects the same in return.

IEA deputy spokesman Inamullah Samangani said that during his meeting with Hanafi, Moeed Yusuf exchanged views on bilateral ties, trade, transit and regional projects.

The meeting was also attended by the Afghan minister for trade and industry, as well as representatives of the chamber of commerce.

Yusuf also said that strong economic ties are crucial for bringing peace and stability to the region, Samangani said.

The NSA in turn stated that Pakistan acknowledges the importance of expanding its trade and transit ties with Afghanistan, and is ready to go ahead with its regional projects.

He said that Pakistan is standing by the Afghan people and will continue to cooperate with Afghanistan across all sectors. He stressed the need to appoint delegations in the private sector from both sides.

Hanafi said that Pakistan and Afghanistan are brotherly, neighboring, Islamic countries and that Afghanistan wants strong bilateral ties with all regional countries including Pakistan, Samangani said.

Hanafi also thanked Pakistan for its help with and hosting of Afghan refugees.

Meanwhile, Hanafi invited Pakistani businessmen to invest in Afghanistan. He said that they wanted to strengthen the fields of trade and transit of the country.

Moeed Yusuf also held separate meetings with Afghan Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi.