LONDON, Jan 29: Foreign Minister Khurshid M. Kasuri will represent Pakistan at a two-day international conference on Afghanistan which begins here on Tuesday (tomorrow).

It is being attended by around 60 delegates led by foreign ministers. Before the conference, he will also speak at one of the leading think-tanks in Europe on the subject of “Pakistan: Anchor for peace and stability” here on Monday. Islamabad’s envoy to London Dr Maleeha Lodhi will assist Mr Kasuri during the conference.

Dr Lodhi said Pakistan remained “committed to playing a key and constructive role in promoting sustainable peace and stability in Afghanistan.”

She said Pakistan fully supported the Bonn Process and “is committed to actively contributing towards the attainment of the objective of the Afghanistan Compact, which will be adopted by the London Conference”.

“We are encouraged by the fact that London Conference will help to speed up the process of reconstruction in Afghanistan”, the envoy said. “The London Conference will be an occasion for the international community to renew and reaffirm its continued engagement and support for peace and stability as well as the development of Afghanistan in the post-Bonn period,” she said.

The conference would be opened by British Prime Minister Tony Blair. Afghan President Hamid Karzai will be arriving in London to attend the conference and would launch “Afghanistan Compact” on the occasion.

The document would spell out the strategy to be pursued by Kabul in the coming years for steering Afghanistan towards stability, development and peace. —APP