ISLAMABAD: Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi held a telephonic conversation with his Afghan counterpart Mohammad Hanif and discussed the Afghan peace process and regional security with him.

FM Qureshi said Pakistan desires a peaceful, prosperous and stable Afghanistan and underscored that peace in Afghanistan is linked with peace and stability of region.

He said intra Afghan dialogue provides an excellent opportunity for peace and the Afghan leadership must seize it. It is imperative to make the intra Afghan dialogue result oriented in order to realize the dream of durable peace in Afghanistan, he stressed.

Shah Mahmood said Pakistan will continue its sincere efforts for peace and stability in the region including Afghanistan. Alluding to historic fraternal ties between Pakistan and Afghanistan, he said Pakistan has announced a new visa policy to facilitate Afghan people intending to travel to the country.

Speaking at Pakistan-Afghanistan Trade and Investment Forum in Islamabad on Monday, PM Imran Khan had underscored that peace in the neighbouring country is vital to boosting trade and economic activities in the region to bring prosperity and provide job opportunities to people.

Prime Minister Khan voiced Pakistan’s concerns regarding India’s hostile posture towards it and the Muslims, saying Delhi could use Afghan soil to cause instability in Pakistan. Our government has decided to strengthen ties with Kabul, no matter who is in power, to counter India’s evil designs,” he said. NNI