IEA’s Prime Minister and Pakistani FM discuss economic cooperation

The Prime Minister of the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan (IEA) Mullah Muhammad Hassan Akhund on Thursday met with the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Pakistan Shah Mahmood Qureshi at the Presidential Palace in Kabul.

During the meeting, the two sides discussed the increase of economic cooperation between Afghanistan and Pakistan, the resumption of civilian flights between Kabul and Islamabad, the increase of economic cooperation between Afghanistan and Pakistan, and keeping Spin Boldak, Torkham and Ghulam Khan border crossings open 24 hours a day.

They also discussed the reduction of high customs tariffs on Afghan exports, the provision of facilities for Afghan travelers and the completion of the country’s semi-completed development projects.

The Afghan side stressed that work on the CASA – 1000 project and the Mazar-e-Sharif to Peshawar railway line should be accelerated and Pakistan should find a solution to the transit problems.

Pakistani Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi said that his country’s Prime Minister Imran Khan had set a limited time for their accompanying delegation to fully resolve the issues based on bilateral agreements.

Qureshi also said that the presence of officials from all sectors in their delegation showed that Pakistan wants to solve the problems in the economic and political sectors with Afghanistan.

Mullah Muhammad Hassan Akhund in turn called the relations between Afghanistan and Pakistan historic and said that he hoped that Pakistan would prove its commitments in practice.