Islamabad, Kabul agree to correct past mistakes

ISLAMABAD Pakistan and Afghanistan on Thursday jointly pledged to take the bilateral cooperation beyond the fight against militancy to the extent of realising optimal potential of the trade and mutually harnessing natural as well as human resources.
Visiting Afghan President Hamid Karzai and his host counterpart Asif Ali Zardari held both one-on-one and along delegations sessions at the Presidency on Wednesday evening. According to officials of the Presidency, the two sides held wide-ranging talks focussing on jointly fighting terrorism, strengthening bilateral ties and ways to address regional issues related to peace and security.
According to Presidential Spokesman Farhatullah Babar, President Zardari called for jointly persuading the international community to devise a marshal plan for the region to banish the militancy and its effects for all time to come. The two countries need to speak the same language at the international forums because both suffer from the same malaise caused by the same mindset of militancy and extremism, the Spokesman quoted the President as talking to President Karzai at the bilateral talks between the two sides.
The two countries need to be on the same page, speak the same language and demand assistance from the international community with the same vigour and intensity, he added. President Asif Ali Zardari also suggested that the two foreign ministers should sit together and work out the modalities in this regard.
According to the Spokesman, President Zardari also endorsed the suggestion of his Afghan counterpart to convene a meeting of 'Pak-Afghan Peace Jirga after the Afghan Peace Jirga. The Pak-Afghan Peace Jirga will help take the process of friendship further forward.
The two presidents are said to have stressed for enhanced interaction between the two countries to cope with the issues of terrorism and extremism.
President Zardari reiterated the clear national stance across the regimes that unity, sovereignty and territorial integrity of Afghanistan were of great importance to Pakistan. He termed terrorism as a common challenge to Pakistan and Afghanistan.
Zardari told his Afghan counterpart that Pakistan was determined to fight militancy to the end, which was a long drawn battle and there were no quick solution to this problem. Pakistan believes that military action alone was not a solution to the problem, officials quoted him as saying.
Therefore, President Zardari underlined the need for greater economic cooperation, adding that his Government was determined to correct the past mistakes to carve out a better future.
Reciprocating hosts remarks, Afghan President Karzai also urged for a partnership, which allows realization of the full potential of human and natural resources. He too desired greater connectivity, more trade and economic cooperation.
He called for new development projects and investments in the two countries driven by energy corridors in the region. Karzai thanked Pakistan for support and efforts for the rehabilitation and reconstruction of Afghanistan.
President Zardari pointed that Pakistans bilateral trade with Afghanistan was US $1.4 billion in 2008 and there was a vast economic potential and great opportunities for cooperation.
He hoped that Afghanistan-Pakistan Transit Trade Agreement that was under negotiations would further boost economic interaction between the two countries.
President Zardari also pointed to the over 3 million Afghan refugees that were still in Pakistan and said an early restoration of peace and normalcy in Afghanistan will enable the return of these refugees to their motherland.