QUETTA, Oct 27: Governor Amirul Mulk Mengal has said that Pakistan is ready to extend all possible cooperation and assistance to Afghanistan for the reconstruction.

Speaking at a seminar “Pak-Afghan Relations and Friendship” organized by Society for Development of Pak-Afghan Friendship, he said that Pakistan had always helped the Afghan brethren in the time of need and desirous of peace and security in the war- ravaged country.

“Pakistan would take every possible step to improve its centuries old religious, cultural and social relations with Afghanistan,” Mr Mengal said.

Speaking on the occasion, Dr Mehmood Ghazi, acting president of the International Islamic University, Islamabad, said: “Peace in Asia depends on the stability in Afghanistan. The instability in Afghanistan would disturb the whole region.”

He said: “Pakistan and Afghanistan are one nation as both the countries have same tradition, culture and customs.”

He said that the education, health, technology and rehabilitation of the Afghan DPs were the demanding sectors in which Pakistan could provide assistance to Afghanistan without being blamed by world community in the pretext of helping the terrorists.

Mr Ghazi that his university was willing to give admission to a maximum number of Afghan people in various disciplines. “Sharia Academy Islamabad is also ready to provide training to the Afghan scholars and Ulema,” he added.

Director General of the Da’wat Academy, Islamabad, Dr Khalid Alvi said that the imperialist powers wanted to exploit the resources of Asia by creating instability in Asian countries and then deploying their forces in the name of ‘peace keepers’.

“To prevent the evil intentions of these powers, it is essential that peace and stability should prevail in Asia for which Afghanistan and Pakistan should play their role,” he maintained.

Afghan Consul General Mohammed Sadiq Daudzai said: “Pakistan and Afghanistan are enjoying cordial relations based on mutual respect, friendship and brotherhood.”

He thanked the Pakistan Government for providing asylum to the Afghan refugees during Soviet invasion of Afghanistan and later during the civil war.—APP