ISLAMABAD: Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi urged the visiting Afghan Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi and his delegation to keep a close watch on anti-peace elements inside and outside Afghanistan.

According to a statement issued by the Foreign Office on Thursday, the visiting Foreign Minister of Afghanistan Amir Khan Muttaqi and Foreign Minister Qureshi held delegation-level talks at the Foreign Ministry.

Qureshi reiterated that Pakistan wants peace and stability in Afghanistan.

He said that Pakistan, being a close neighbour, has been deeply affected by the ongoing conflict and unrest in Afghanistan for the last 40 years.

The Foreign Minister said that Pakistan has been hosting 3 million Afghan refugees for the last four decades and in order to rescue Afghanistan from the economic and humanitarian crisis, Pakistan was constantly demanding immediate assistance and a positive role from the international community.

The statement said that despite limited resources, Pakistan is committed to making every effort possible to provide humanitarian assistance, medicine and food to the Afghan brothers.

He also urged the caretaker Foreign Minister of Afghanistan and the delegation to keep a close eye on anti-peace elements inside and outside Afghanistan at this critical juncture.

A Foreign Office spokesman said in a statement that the Foreign Minister had briefed the Afghan delegation on the upcoming meeting and talks with Russia, China and the US Special Representative for Afghanistan.

Shah Mahmood Qureshi also invited the representatives of the interim government of Afghanistan to the next meeting of the neighbouring countries of Afghanistan.

The trade relations between Pakistan and Afghanistan, the facilitation provided in the trade corridor and the steps taken for humanitarian assistance were also discussed during the meeting.

The statement said that the caretaker Foreign Minister of Afghanistan Amir Khan Muttaqi thanked the Pakistani leadership, including the Foreign Minister, for rescuing Afghanistan from the humanitarian crisis and drawing the attention of the international community to the deteriorating economic situation in Afghanistan.

According to Foreign Office Spokesperson, Federal Minister for Aviation Ghulam Sarwar Khan, Finance Advisor Shaukat Tarin and Trade Adviser Abdul Razak Dawood, Secretary Sohail Mahmood, Pakistan’s Special Representative for Afghanistan Muhammad Sadiq, Pakistan’s Ambassador to Afghanistan Mansoor Ahmad Khan and senior Foreign Ministry officials were also present.

During the talks, outcomes of meetings of working groups on strengthening bilateral and transit trade regime and facilitating movement of people by land and air were also shared. 🇵🇰 offered technical assistance in health and education. pic.twitter.com/7VGzizh2TO

— Spokesperson 🇵🇰 MoFA (@ForeignOfficePk) November 11, 2021

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During delegation level talks, FM @SMQureshiPTI highlighted 🇵🇰s:
➖commitment to peace, stability & progress in Afghanistan.
➖continuing efforts for facilitating humanitarian assistance & econ support to Afghanistan.
➖resolve to strengthen bilateral relations with Afghanistan pic.twitter.com/QRAOf1ynif

— Spokesperson 🇵🇰 MoFA (@ForeignOfficePk) November 11, 2021

It is pertinent to mention here that the caretaker Foreign Minister of Afghanistan Amir Khan Muttaqi had arrived in Islamabad on a three-day visit.

Pakistan’s ambassador to Afghanistan Mansoor Khan had said that Amir Khan Muttaqi would discuss bilateral relations during the visit.

Afghan Foreign Minister arrived in Pakistan along with a 20-member high-level Afghan delegation, including Finance Minister Hidayatullah Badri, Industry and Trade Minister Nooruddin Aziz and senior officials from the Ministry of Aviation.

The Afghan delegation was received by Pakistan’s Special Representative for Afghanistan Muhammad Sadiq, Pakistani Ambassador Mansoor Khan, Trade Adviser Abdul Razak Dawood and other officials.

Earlier, Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi had invited his Afghan counterpart to visit Pakistan during his visit last month and this is the first visit of any Afghan minister to Pakistan since the Taliban came to power in Afghanistan on August 15.

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