Pakistan FM: World should engage with Afghans in a meaningful way

Pakistan Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto Zardari said on Tuesday the world should engage with the Afghan people in a meaningful way because they were all tired of wars and conflicts.

In an interview with an Indonesia TV channel, Zardari expressed hope that there would be a stable and peaceful Afghanistan, adding Afghanistan required global support and engagement as the fate and future of the country was in the hands of the people of Afghanistan.

“No one wants Afghanistan to become a hotbed or launching pad of terrorists’ attacks in the region or anywhere else. We are hopeful the one-year-old Afghan interim government (IEA) will not only address the issue of terrorism, but also provide security because that’s a fundamental prerequisite for peace and prosperity,” Zardari said.

He said Pakistan and Afghanistan were neighbours and would remain as neighbours.

Bilawal said it was in Pakistan’s interest that there should be peace in Afghanistan. When there would be a stable country, a prosperous country, they would not have to be worried about the massive exodus of refugees, terrorism and the associated threats.

It would also create economic opportunities for the people of Pakistan as well as for the Afghans, he added.