In an exclusive interview with IRNA in Islamabad on Tuesday, Senator Shahzad Waseem said the situation in Afghanistan is worrying and any escalation of the situation will be detrimental to the people of this country and of course their neighbors, namely Iran and Pakistan.
He said the Islamic Republic of Iran and Pakistan are two major countries hosting Afghan refugees who have been carrying this heavy burden for decades, so any increase in unrest in Afghanistan also increases the challenge of more refugees.
Welcoming the recent meeting of Afghan groups hosted by the Iranian government in Tehran, the leader of the Tehreek-e-Insaf said "we and Iran are the main shareholders in the Afghan peace process".
He stressed the hasty and unplanned withdrawal of the United States from Afghanistan contributed to the current situation and created new concerns for the participants in the peace process, so Afghanistan's neighbors must play a role to prevent civil war in this country.
"Islamabad is committed to facilitating peace efforts in Afghanistan and respects the choice of the Afghan people and the formation of any government in Kabul through political understanding and peaceful negotiations, without the support of any particular group or faction," the Pakistani senator said.
He added Pakistan's position is clear and decisive. "We do not have any favorites in Afghanistan, but we are eager to work with all parties to overcome the current crisis, and we believe that the path to political understanding between the Afghan parties should be paved," he said.
Expressing his views, Shahzad Waseem said Afghanistan's leaders must move towards a political solution to the conflict because only this method and approach will benefit the people of Afghanistan, including neighbors and other countries in the region.
Last week, Pakistan welcomed the Tehran Peace Summit with the participation of Afghan groups, including the Taliban, and the role of the Islamic Republic of Iran in advancing the peace process.
Welcoming Iran’s interaction with Afghan groups to reach a political agreement through negotiations, the Pakistani Foreign Ministry spokesman expressed hope that the Afghan parties would seize this opportunity to achieve a comprehensive political achievement.
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