In continuation of the CRSS led Pak-Afghan track 1.5/II project “Beyond Boundaries”, which is in partnership with Afghan counterpart organisation DURAN and sub-national partner organisation FIDA, as an effort to improve relations between Afghanistan and Pakistan, soothe bitter context, tackle trust deficit which can somehow de-escalate the heightened tensions and improve mutual perceptions; third meeting of the Regional Security Groups was held in Kabul, on Monday 29 February and Tuesday 01 March, 2016. An eight member Pakistan delegation arrived in Kabul on Sunday 28 February, 2016, led by Mr. Muhammad Shoaib Suddle other members comprised parliamentarians, senior media analysts and experts including Ms. Ayesha Gulalai Wazir, Ms. Shazia Marri, Mr. Muhammad Tahir, Mr. Syed Anwaar-ul-Hassan, Ms. Naeema Batool Rajput, Mr. Ayaz Gul and Mr. Hassan Khan. The Afghan delegation comprised Mr. Qutbudin Helal, Mr. Muhammad Nateqi, Gen. Sher Muhammad Karimi, Ms. Suraya Parlika, Mr. Ahmad Saeedi, Gen Jawed Kohistani, Mr. Abbas Noyan, Ms. Wazhma Frogh and Mr. Haroun Mir. The programme of the Pakistan delegation included the two day workshop at Serena, Kabul, and sideline meetings on Wednesday 02 March, 2016.
During the two day workshops, the Pak-Afghan Regional Security groups had four sessions. On first day, first and second sessions involved inter-active discussions on: Af-Pak Security Paradigm: Security and reiterating on the ongoing bilateral initiatives, implications and the way forward; and Trade and Economy: Impediments and opportunities. The second day third and fourth sessions involved inter-active discussions on: Beyond Security: Steps to promote Af-Pak relations, media engagement and coverage issues, refugees and the role of both countries in shaping mutual understanding in light of existing opportunities and challenges; and Joint Declaration: way forward from Kabul Joint Declaration (Dec 2015 and Jan 2016).
The Chair during all four sessions on the two days was Professor Anatol Leiven, School of Foreign Service in Qatar, Georgetown University. While the guest speakers on second session- day one- was Afghanistan’s Minister for Commerce and Industries, Mr. Humayoon Rasaw; and for the third session – day two – was Engineer Ahmad Wali Hakami, Deputy Minister of Finance in the Ministry of Refugees and Repatriation and Mr. Mohammad Fahim Dashty, Head of Afghanistan National Journalists Union (ANJU).
Participants from Pakistan-Afghanistan Regional Security groups urged both governments to continue their efforts for peace and increase counter-terror and security cooperation. Joint efforts are needed to crush terrorism which is a common enemy of Afghanistan and Pakistan. The delegates also extended their support to the Quadrilateral Coordination Group which is pushing for the intra-Afghan reconciliation. The delegates further agreed on the following: The ice-breaking engagement between Afghanistan and Pakistan at both official and private level must continue to help remove the bilateral mistrust; Mutually agreeable confidence building measures could help in achieving these objectives;Statements hurting the sentiments must be avoided by both sides;The civil society should put pressure on stakeholders to pursue mutual peace & prosperity; Media on both sides could play a crucial role in correcting the narrative on each other. The delegates concurred and called on both governments to help facilitate Afghan and Pakistani media’s reporting from their respective regions.
The working groups also discussed Afghanistan Pakistan security paradigm, with focus on the ongoing bilateral initiatives, its implications and way forward, the impediments and opportunities for trade and economic cooperation and steps to improve relations between Afghanistan and Pakistan and emphasized on the need for media engagement and coverage in both countries.
At the end of the meetings, the Delegates finalized a Joint Declaration (attached separately).
These talks took place at a time of increased hope for mutual cooperation, particularly in the economic arena, especially after the Heart of Asia Conference hosted by Pakistan in early December and the signing of the TAPI Pipeline in Turkmenistan. The political scenario is dominated by the ongoing Quadrilateral Talks of which four meetings have taken place and it is expected that by the fifth meeting in the first week of March 2016, Taliban representatives will join the talks.
As part of the programme for the visiting Pakistani delegation some important sideline meetings were also held on Wednesday 02 March, 2016 including meeting Deputy Minister Political, Ministry of Foriegn Affairs Afghanistan, Mr. Hekmat Karzai.
