Afghan leadership assures strengthening relations with Pakistan: Ayaz Sadiq

ISLAMABAD: Speaker of the National Assembly Sardar Ayaz Sadiq on Monday said that the Afghan leadership has assured cooperation in cementing bilateral relations between Pakistan and Afghanistan.

"The entire political leadership of Pakistan spoke with one voice for developing meaningful partnership between Afghanistan and Pakistan,” the speaker said while talking to media after returning from high-level parliamentary delegation's visit to Afghanistan.

Sadiq said it was time Pakistan moved forward in confidence and trust and that the country would continue playing its role in improving relations with neighboring countries.

He said that Pakistan wanted to promote peace in the region and it would continue its endeavour to obtain this objective.

The speaker expressed hope that the visit of the high-level parliamentary delegation would open a new chapter in the bilateral relations of the two countries.

The main objective behind the visit was to revive relations between the two countries and address all concerns, he said, terming the visit as very successful.

He added that there was representation of all provinces and parliamentary parties and that both sides raised issues and discussed them in detail.

Sadiq said that the talks were held in a cordial atmosphere and the people, parliament and the government of Afghanistan welcomed the delegation.

He also expressed hope that the visit would pave way for lasting peace and friendship between the two countries.

The speaker said that Iran had also shown its willingness to become part of the China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC).

He added that the Afghan leadership would visit Pakistan soon.

A 17-member parliamentary delegation visited Afghanistan comprising the entire political spectrum, represented in both houses of the parliament.

The Pakistan parliamentary delegation, led by Speaker Ayaz Sadiq, comprised Leader of the House in the Senate Raja Zafar-ul-Haq, Federal Ministers Gen Abdul Qadir Baloch, Mir Hasil Bazinjo and Akram Durrani, Chairman of the National Assembly Foreign Relations Committee Sardar Awais Leghari, Chief of Pashtoonkhwa Milli Awami Party MNA Mehmood Khan Achakzai, parliamentary leaders of PPP Syed Naveed Qamar, ANP's Ghulam Ahmed Bilour, PTI's Shafqat Mehmood, Jamat-e-Islami's Sahibzada Tariqullah, Qaumi Watan Party's Aftab Ahmed Khan Sherpao and FATA leader G. G. Jamal.