PESHAWAR: Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Governor Faisal Karim Kundi on Wednesday said he believed in political dialogue with Afghanistan, emphasizing that both external and internal challenges could best be addressed through engagement among political leadership on all sides.
Addressing a dialogue session titled “Pakistan-Afghanistan Security, Trade and Regional Economic Affairs” at the Governor’s House, he said a peaceful Afghanistan was not only vital for Pakistan but for the entire region.
The event was organized by the Department of International Relations, University of Peshawar.
It was attended by departement’s Chairman Dr Syed Sami Raza, Dr. Nausheen Naseer, Ibrahim Shinwari, Mehran Wazir, Wajid Ali Shinwari, Dr. Syed Hussain Shaheed Soherwardi, Shahid Hussain Shinwari, Dr. Waqas Hussain Shah and others.
The governor said Pakistan supported enhanced relations and expanded trade activities with Afghanistan and all neighboring countries, adding that sustainable peace across the region was essential for economic and commercial development.
He said issues relating to border security, trade and regional economy between Pakistan and Afghanistan required a balanced strategy that ensured security while promoting legal trade and people-to-people contacts.
Referring to the province’s security situation, he said that the border with Afghanistan had directly impacted the law and order situation in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.
He said the regional environment had drastically changed following the Soviet-Afghan war and the post-9/11 scenario, during which militant activities in Afghanistan adversely affected peace in the province.
The governor said Pakistan had rendered immense sacrifices in the war against terrorism and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa stood as a living example of those sacrifices.
The participants presented recommendations on regional security, trade challenges and the potential of utilizing the Pakistan-Afghanistan border for expanded commercial connectivity with Central Asian Republics.
