A number of Pakistani political activists urged Monday that the governments of Afghanistan and Pakistan should carry out negotiations to resolve their border disputes of which the impacts have dimmed the relationship between the neighbours.
“You accept that the attacks over the areas of Dir, Chitral, and Bajaur (in Pakistan) are launched from around Kunar and Nuristan (in Afghanistan) and as advised by the government,” said Asfandyar Wali Khan, head of Pakistani Awami National Party, “If you don’t accept this, you cannot blame us for the responsibility of the attacks over Khost, Paktia, and Paktika.”
“I repeat that this issue can be resolved only when trust between the two sides is gained,” he told TOLOnews.
The Pakistani activists suggested that the distrust between the governments of Afghanistan and Pakistan has caused the current problems.
“At first step, both governments need to have same positioning, and remove the atmosphere of distrust. Both governments have no trust in each other. This atmosphere should be removed,” said Aftab Sherpaw, Pashtun political activist from Pakistan.
“People as well, I believe there is no trust in Pakistan from the people of Afghanistan. [Afghan] people have negative thoughts towards Pakistan. This should be taken out,” he added.
However, the activists have stated that they have no specific position towards the matter.
Reacting to words from the Afghan President Hamid Karzai – who had said he would never recognise the Durand Line – Pakistan’s foreign ministry said in a statement Monday that the country has considered the Durand Line issue as resolved, suggesting that starting to discuss the matter means leaving behind other important issues.
Cooperation between the two countries is the priority, it said.