TAXILA: Afghan Am­bas­sador to Pakistan Dr Omer Zakhilwal has said he foresees better days for Pakistan-Afghanistan relations and that the current misgivings and grievances are short-lived and will soon end.

Talking to newsmen after visiting the Taxila Museum, the Afghan diplomat said that ups and downs in relations did not reflect wishes of the people of the two countries, adding that ties were sure to improve in the coming days.

He was of the view that Pakistan and Afghanistan were facing the same challenges and enemies and both were victims of terrorism and they needed to work together for peace in the region.

He said things were moving in the right direction on the diplomatic front, adding that he was hopeful of better relations between the two countries in the coming days.

He said that people-to-people contacts and relations between the two nations could not be destroyed by anybody and stressed that tribal, linguistic, religious and historic relations would re-emerge and create a strong bond.

He was of the view that better relations were crucial for both countries and students studying on Pak­is­­tani scholarships would serve as agents of change.

Published in Dawn, December 10th, 2017