Dialogue only way to mend Pak-Afghan fences: Speakers

Int’l Conference Held On:’Challenges To Pakistan, Afghanistan Dialogue & Solutions’

Organized by Area Study Centre (Russia, China and central Asia) University of Peshawar & Hanns Siedal Foundation, Pakistan.

Islamabad, The Gulf Observer: A two day International Conference “Challenges of Bilateral Pakistan-Afghanistan Dialogue and their Solution” was held here on 15 &16 November . It was organized by Area Study Center, University of Peshawar and Hanns Siedal Foundation, Pakistan.

The Chief Guest Mr. Alfred Grannas, German Ambassador to Pakistan explicitly called for the new Afghanistan policy/strategy to conduct a bilateral dialogue on the issues and challenges being faced by both the countries. Mr. Stephen Guerela, Country Representative of Hanns Siedel Foundation (HSF) stated that his Foundation always extended full cooperation in the provision of scholarships to research fellows including afghan students and intends to furnish special grants to Universities and other academic institutions in future for the benefit of young generation to strengthen the bilateral relations between the both countries and to overcome the prevailing conundrums.

In his key note address, Mr.Muhammad Ayaz Wazir, former Ambassador to Afghanistan stressed that Pak-Afghan relations reckoned as under stressed due to the reason that various authors and politicians highlighted that Afghanistan has not recognized which has bad impressions on the coming generations. It is a need of the hour to dig out solid and concrete measures to address and remove the negative propaganda, as power alone is not the soul solution of the problem. He categorically stated that we should treat Afghanistan as a sovereign state and focus on creating facilitation in the provision of student visas, trade and regional connectivity between the two countries.

The first session was chaired by Prof.Dr.Azmat Hayat Khan, comprised of speakers, Dr. Adam Saud (Pakistan) “Rise of Taliban in Afghanistan: Are Storm Clouds Looming Over the Region?” Mr. Marat Aitov (Uzbekistan) “Changing Situation in Afghanistan: Challenges and Opportunities for Central Asia” Dr. Omar Zakhilwal (Afghanistan) “The Existing Threats & Opportunities for Stability & Durable Peace” Ms. Amina Khan (Pakistan) “Evolving Situation in Afghanistan – A Pakistani Perspective” Dr. Uzma Shujaat (Pakistan) “Prospects of Pakistan and Afghanistan Relations”Way Forward:All the national and International academics, media persons and budding scholars focused on the challenges that affect the Pak-Afghan bilateral relations.

The historical reasons such as the border issue, the role of political leadership of both the countries and the specific geo-politics of the region that invited the foreign intervention time and again have to by addressed.

The most important theme highlighted in the conference was to leave the past and mend fences for the future. It was argued that despite both the states shared common history, culture, geography and even belong to the same faith, cannot take a smooth sail is therefore surprising.

The way forward is to promote the culture of dialogue, engage academia and institutions to contact stakeholders in order to explore the deeper reasons of the mutual mis-trust between the two states.

Moreover there is a dire need of people to people contact, promotion of trade and maximum accessibility.

Earlier in his opening address, Prof. Dr. Shabir Ahmad khan Director Area Study Centre, University of Peshawar welcomed the participants, experts and panelists from Afghanistan, Uzbekistan, Germany, Australia, UK, Singapore and Pakistan.