#AfghanFM #Muttaqi wants #Pakistan, #TTP to hold #talks
#ISLAMABAD (MNP) – Acting #Afghan Foreign Minister #AmirKhanMuttaqi on Monday said Pakistani authorities and the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (#TTP) should hold #talks.
He has been on a four-day visit to Pakistan for holding a trilateral #dialogue with his Pakistani and #Chinese counterparts on several issues including security.
Addressing a ceremony, he said Afghanistan did not desire bloodshed on Pakistani soil at any cost adding that the Afghan government played its role to root out the TTP and the Daesh. “Both countries have to show flexibility for a bright future,” he added.
He went on to say that the Taliban had been ruling Afghanistan for 20 months adding that the Taliban administration had resolved scores of issues. “Economic sanctions pose a great challenge, therefore, banks are struggling to import raw material,” he added.
The minister said the Afghan government was trying to curb unemployment and inflation adding that the World Bank report saw inflation in the country going down and the Afghan currency getting stable. “Afghan government presented the budget without any aid from foreign agencies,” he added.
Mr Muttaqi continued by saying that Afghanistan desired to establish economic relations with Pakistan and Central Asian countries adding that its foreign policy stood on dialogue and mutual interests. “We admire Pakistan’s attempts to boost economic development and connectivity in the region,” he added.
He said Pakistan and Afghanistan had been going through economic challenges for two years adding that both countries possessed growth potential. “Pakistan has been the centre point of our focus and we have been interested in fostering economic ties with it,” he added. We were hoping to continue, he said, these relations.
