Afghanistan Times
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By Shamim Shahid-KABUL: The two-day joint conference on finding out ways and means for strengthening of cordial and friendly relations between Pakistan and Afghanistan concluded here on Sunday.
The participants asked leaders of the two countries to facilitate people-to-people interaction and business activities by removing restrictions and hurdles.
Similarly, through declaration adopted in the concluding session of two days conference on “Cultural Corridor—a path for people solidarity,” the participants have floated stock of ideas for building up an atmosphere of trust and confidence between the two countries. It also stressed on sharing ideas and thoughts pertained to promotion of education, preservation of cultural and traditional norms as well as utilizing all available resources for addressing issues like poverty, unemployment and illiteracy in the regions along the Durand Line.
The two days conference was attended by leading intellectuals, journalists, writers, poets, academicians, members of civil society organizations and lawyers from both the countries. Elders and youth representatives of tribes, living just on both sides of the Durand Line have also attended the conference, whereas they described in depth negative impacts of recently erupted but fuelling hostilities between Islamabad and Kabul.
At end of the conference, the participants have constituted joint committees and working groups for remaining in contacts with honoring of the proposals, which the organizers believe could be helpful not only in restoration of cordial and friendly relations between the two countries but also in resolving of controversial issues.
Prof. Parvesh Shaheen, an intellectual from Swat, in his concluding address urged the participants to realize their responsibilities of ending imposed hostilities and terror in the region. In this respect, he said that Pakhtoon elites from both sides of the Durand Line must ensure maximum contacts and understanding with each others for averting of apprehended new wave of terror and violence on their soil. He said that since a long time intruders from almost of the world made aggression against Pakhtoons, causing wide range human and logistic destructions. But later all these intruders had failed to remain in the region, he remarked and urged the foreign forces to refrain of further invasion and aggression against the Pakhtoons.
According to Parvesh Shaheen, “Pakhtoon is a peace loving, moderate and liberal nation and the Pakhtoons never made aggression against any nation.” But unfortunately the geographical location inhibited by Pakhtoons remains attractive for the global intruders and invaders. He called upon the global forces to help the Pakhtoons in getting rid of wars, hostilities, illiteracy, poverty and other miseries.
