KABUL: President Mamnoon Hussain said on Thursday that Pakistan is seeking to build qualitatively enhanced relations with neighbouring countries.
The president was speaking at the Quadrilateral Summit of Pakistan, Afghanistan, Iran and Tajikistan in Kabul on Thursday.
The summit was also attended by Afghan President Hamid Karzai, President of Iran Hassan Rouhani and President of Tajikistan Emomalii Rahman. During the summit, they discussed regional situation besides mutual relations.
In his address, the president Mamnoon Hussain said that mutual understanding and trust is the defining element of Pakistan’s vision of a peaceful neighbourhood.
“As part of this vision, Pakistan is seeking to build qualitatively enhanced relations with neighbouring countries,” he said.
The president said that Pakistan, Afghanistan, Iran and Tajikistan are bound by long-standing ties of common history, culture, faith and kinship.
Hussain said that the four countries are already working together on different energy, connectivity and infrastructure projects including CASA-1000, Turkmenistan-Afghanistan-Pakistan-India gas pipeline, Iran-Pakistan gas pipeline, and road and rail links.
“Pakistan continues to support and facilitate efforts for an Afghan-led and Afghan-owned peace and reconciliation process,” Hussain further said.
“We are convinced that sustainable peace in Afghanistan is possible only through peaceful dialogue,” he added.
In his address to the Nawroz festival, the president said that Pakistan is committed to forging friendly and good-neighbourly relations with all countries in the region.
“Today’s event again proves that culture is a powerful medium to bring people closer, foster deeper understanding, and promote peace and harmony,” he said.
Hussain that said the region is not only rich in culture, but also has immense human and material resources. He said that through concrete measures, we can translate this vast potential into a living reality and utilise it for advancing our socio-economic development goals.
The president further said that peace and stability are the most important pre-requisites for development.
