January 10, 2007	Wednesday	Zilhaj 19, 1427

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ISLAMABAD, Jan 9: Pakistan will host a regional donors' conference on Afghanistan in Islamabad to raise necessary funds to boost the reconstruction process in Afghanistan.

This was stated by Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz while talking to Mr Peter Gordon Mackay, Canadian Foreign Minister, who called on him at the PM’s House on Thursday.

The prime minister said that Pakistan would continue to support the Karzai government as a strong and stable Afghanistan was in Pakistan’s own interest.

He said Pakistan was working on modalities for securing its border with Afghanistan to prevent cross-border movement of undesirable elements. This, he said, would not affect easement rights enjoyed by the tribal people as crossing points would be designated for them. He emphasised that both sides needed to play their part to restrict unauthorised movement across the border.

The prime minister told the Canadian foreign minister that during his recent visit to Kabul both countries had agreed to a systematic, phased and orderly repatriation of our three million Afghan refugees who still lived in Pakistan. Pakistan, he said, supported a Marshall-type plan for Afghanistan to expedite the process of reconstruction there which was the best guarantee to discourage and counter the forces of extremism.

The return of Afghan refugees would have a positive impact on the security situation and border stabilization between the two countries. He asked Canada to help Pakistan with repatriation of the refugees to Afghanistan.

The prime minister said that Pakistan was not an aid-giving country but it had increased its financial assistance from $250 million to $300 million to Afghanistan during his recent visit to Kabul.

The prime minister said that Pakistan was a peaceful country and was keen to peacefully settle its all disputes with India including Kashmir.

He said Pakistan was of the view that sustainable peace in South Asia could only be achieved with the settlement of the Kashmir dispute, which must be acceptable to Pakistan, India and Kashmiris.

The prime minister said that Pakistan had floated several proposals, including demilitarisation and self-governance in Kashmir, as a basis of discussion to achieve a lasting solution to the issue.

Referring to Pakistan’s relationship with Canada, the prime minister said Pakistan was keen to develop strategic relationship with Canada, covering diplomatic, political, economic, defence and security fields to the mutual benefit of both countries.

The prime minister said that a decision to hold regular political consultations between foreign ministers of the two countries would help further cement the relationship between the two countries. He noted with satisfaction the upward trend in the bilateral trade and investment between the two countries.

The prime minister said that Pakistan was keen to get greater access to Canadian markets which would only be possible after a Free Trade Agreement was signed between the two countries.

Aziz said that Pakistan was fast becoming the regional hub for investment and last year it attracted $3.2 billion in foreign direct investment (FDI), the highest in the country's history.

The prime minister said that Pakistan had offered a level playing field to local and foreign investors, and it would welcome Canadian investment in agribusiness, telecom, IT, oil and gas and textile sectors.

Turning to the development in Pakistan, the prime minister told the visiting dignitary that Pakistan had in place all the essential elements of democracy, a functioning parliament, an active opposition enjoying unrestricted political freedom, a free media and an independent judiciary.

He said that parliament was poised to complete its full term for the first time in the country’s history after which fair and free elections would be held in which all political parties would be free to participate.

He described his meeting with the prime minister as highly constructive and productive, and said Canada was committed to expanding its cooperative relations with Pakistan.