ISLAMABAD - Pakistan has expressed its resolve and commitment in working together with Afghanistan on an agenda that would lead the region to a lasting peace, stability, and prosperity.
"This is the approach that Pakistan will be taking in its interaction with Afghanistan," Foreign Office spokesperson Aizaz Ahmed Chaudhry told weekly press briefing here on Thursday.
He said Pakistan had exercised maximum restraint to Afghan allegations on different occasions.
"We will continue to do that in future as well as we are sincere in seeking a peaceful settlement of Afghan issue," he said. The spokesman expressed the hope that both the countries would engage on an agenda, which is beneficial for the whole region. About the visit of Advisor on Foreign Affairs and National Security Sartaj Aziz to Kabul, the spokesperson said this was the first ever high level exchange between the two countries.
He said Sartaj Aziz held meetings with Afghan leadership in a cordial environment and handed over an invitation letter of Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif to Afghan President Hamid Karzai to visit Pakistan.
The spokesman said Hamid Karzai had accepted the invitation and dates were now being worked out.
“The two governments are constantly engaged in making that visit possible,” he said.
On a question about exchange of Dr Aafia Siddiqui with Dr Shakeel Afridi, the spokesman said, Pakistan and the US had no prisoner exchange agreement.
To a question, Aizaz Ahmad Chaudhry said, "Our policy on drone attacks is very clear and the new government has laid a great deal of emphasis on registering its viewpoint on drone hits with the United States and the world at large."
He maintained that drone attacks were violating Pakistan’s sovereignty and counter-productive. The spokesman said these strikes were not serving any objective. He said this very viewpoint of Pakistan was being conveyed to the US at all forums.
To a question on Pak-India relations, the spokesman said Pakistan had already expressed its concern on the situation in occupied Kashmir especially due to desecration of the Holy Quran.
He said the movement of Kashmiris in occupied Kashmir for their right of self-determination was indigenous and it could not be stopped by force.
About the proposed visit of US Secretary of State John Kerry to Pakistan, the spokesman said dates for his visit were being finalised and due to scheduling problem, these dates had not yet been fixed.
Rejecting the notion of ‘restrained’ relations with the US, the spokesman said Pakistan had been engaged at various levels with United States.
He said both the countries had agreement on many issues but on the same time they had differences on some other issues.