Afghan FM Muttaqi asks Pakistan, TTP to hold talks

F.P. Report

ISLAMABAD: Acting Afghan Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi on Monday said Pakistani authorities and the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) should hold talks.

He has been on a four-day visit to Pakistan for holding a trilateral dialogue with his Pakistani and Chinese counterparts on several issues including security.

Addressing a ceremony, he said Afghanistan did not desire bloodshed on Pakistani soil at any cost adding that the Afghan government played its role to root out the TTP and the Daesh. “Both countries have to show flexibility for a bright future,” he added.

He went on to say that the Taliban had been ruling Afghanistan for 20 months adding that the Taliban administration had resolved scores of issues. “Economic sanctions pose a great challenge, therefore, banks are struggling to import raw material,” he added.

The minister said the Afghan government was trying to curb unemployment and inflation adding that the World Bank report saw inflation in the country going down and the Afghan currency getting stable. “Afghan government presented the budget without any aid from foreign agencies,” he added.

Mr Muttaqi continued by saying that Afghanistan desired to establish economic relations with Pakistan and Central Asian countries adding that its foreign policy stood on dialogue and mutual interests. “We admire Pakistan’s attempts to boost economic development and connectivity in the region,” he added.

He said Pakistan and Afghanistan had been going through economic challenges for two years adding that both countries possessed growth potential. “Pakistan has been the centre point of our focus and we have been interested in fostering economic ties with it,” he added. We were hoping to continue, he said, these relations.

He alluded that the Afghan administration was desirous to make the country prosper adding that both countries were facing the same challenges. “We faced hard times and now we will move forward together,” he added.

The world was now accepting Afghanistan, he claimed, and we had also been reeling through economic hardships. “We increased the trade to $1.9 billion and it owes credit to a corruption-free society,” he added. We were focusing on, he said expanding the economic corridor and we could address issues by working together.Acting Afghan Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi on Monday said Pakistani authorities and the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) should hold talks.

He has been on a four-day visit to Pakistan for holding a trilateral dialogue with his Pakistani and Chinese counterparts on several issues including security.

Addressing a ceremony, he said Afghanistan did not desire bloodshed on Pakistani soil at any cost adding that the Afghan government played its role to root out the TTP and the Daesh. “Both countries have to show flexibility for bright future,” he added.

He went on to say that Taliban had been ruling Afghanistan for 20 months adding that the Taliban administration had resolved scores of issues. “Economic sanctions pose a great challenge, therefore, banks are struggling to import raw material,” he added.

The minister said the Afghan government was trying to curb unemployment and inflation adding that the World Bank report saw inflation in the country going down and Afghan currency getting stable. “Afghan government presented the budget without any aid from foreign agencies,” he added.

Mr Muttaqi continued by saying that Afghanistan desired to establish economic relations with Pakistan and Central Asian countries adding the its foreign policy stood on dialogue and mutual interests. “We admire Pakistan’s attempts to boost economic development and connectivity in the region,” he added.

He said Pakistan and Afghanistan had been going through economic challenges for two years adding that both countries possessed growth potential. “Pakistan has been the centre point of our focus and we have been interested in fostering economic ties with it,” he added. We were hopeful to continue, he said, these relations.

He alluded that Afghan administration was desirous to make the country prosper adding that both countries were facing same challenges. “We faced hard times and now we will move forward together,” he added.

The world was now accepting Afghanistan, he claimed, and we had also been reeling through economic hardships. “We increased the trade to $1.9 billion and it owes credit to corruption-free society,” he added. We were focusing on, he said expanding the economic corridor and we could address issues by working together.