PESHAWAR: The newly-appointed Afghan Consul General, Dr Abdullah Waheed Poyan, has said that Pakistan and Afghanistan need to put in concerted efforts for restoration of sustainable peace in the region.

He told a press conference at the Afghan consulate here on Wednesday that the ongoing quadrilateral talks would help end terrorism in both the countries and would pave the way for lasting peace in the region. Pakistan, Afghanistan, China and America have been working on a roadmap for peace in the war-ravaged country.

The Afghan diplomat said that President Ashraf Ghani had started efforts from the day one to maintain balance in relations with Pakistan and India. He disagreed with a questioner that the Afghan government was giving preference to India over Pakistan in relations.

“Afghanistan wants equal relations with all countries,” he said, adding being immediate neighbour his country had social, cultural, political and religious relations with Pakistan. He said that both the countries needed to strengthen bilateral relations in all fields, especially trade and commerce.

Dr Poyan says his country maintaining balance in relations with Pakistan and India

He said that the people of Pakistan and Afghanistan had been suffering from terrorism and both had to start collective efforts to stop terrorism.

He said that people of the two countries had been victims of violence and bomb blasts, and suicide attacks had become common in Kabul, Peshawar and other areas.

Strongly condemning the terrorist attack on Bacha Khan University, Charsadda, Dr Poyan termed it an attack on humanity and peace. He said that Bacha Khan was not only “Fakhr-i-Afghan (Pride of Afghans), but was also pride of humanity who had struggled for peace and non-violence. He said that restoration of peace was the responsibility of the two countries.

He was thankful to the people and government of Pakistan for providing shelter to millions of Afghans, but lamented harassment of registered refugees by police in Peshawar and other areas. He said that Afghans would never forget brotherly attitude and hospitality of the local people.

“I don’t blame the police department, but some of its officials harass refugees on roads and streets on the pretext of checking their documents,” he complained and appealed to the provincial police chief to take notice of harassment of his citizens.

He also said that attitude of the police officials was not friendly with Afghan truckers who were transporting goods between the two countries.

He claimed that police officials were charging “illegal taxes” from truckers passing through the provincial capital’s Ring Road.

Calling for people-to-people contacts, Dr Poyan said that his consulate had planned to arrange cultural, handicrafts, sports, educational and trade exhibitions in Peshawar.

He said that Pakistani traders and investors would be provided more facilities to make investment in different sectors, including mineral sector, in Afghanistan.

He said that there was a huge scope for Pakistani professionals to teach in the universities and professional institutions in Afghanistan.

He said that around 3,000 Afghan students had been granted scholarships in different universities and colleges in Pakistan, while students from Pakistan were provided admission in Afghan institutions.

He also said that thousands of Pakistani skilled workers were playing their role in reconstruction of Afghanistan.

Published in Dawn, February 11th, 2016