CRSS Beyond Boundaries’ high level Afghan delegation visits Islamabad

In continuation of the CRSS-SaferWorld-OESP  Pak-Afghan track 1.5/II initiative Beyond Boundaries (Phase III), a high level nine member Afghan delegation visited Islamabad from September 05 to 08, 2018, for the 4^th meeting of the Pakistan Afghanistan Joint Committee (PAJC). Overall, since October 2015 when this track II initiative started, this was the sixteenth such visit (in both countries); 12 visits were held in phases 1 & 2, while this was the 4^th visit in phase 3.

The Afghan Delegation which arrived on September 5^th, was led by Mr. Khalid Pashtoon, Member of Afghan Parliament, while other members included: Mr. Mozammil Shinwari, Senior Advisor to CEO; Mr. Jarullah Mansoori, Former Minister of Rural Rehabilitation and Development (MRRD); Mr. Saleem Khan Kunduzi, Former Governor, Nangarhar Province; Mr. Sayed Qutbuddin Roydar, Former Deputy Minister for State and Parliamentary Affairs; Mr. Faridoon Sekander, Advisor to the CEO Afghanistan on Migration Affairs; Mr. Mohammad Younas Momand, Vice Chairman- Commercial, of Afghan Chamber of Commerce and Industries (ACCI); Mr. Anis Rahman Shinwari, Senior Journalist and News anchor at National TV of Afghanistan (RTA); and Mr. Wares Hasrat, Senior Journalist Ariana Television Network News.

The Pakistan counterpart PAJC delegation was headed by Dr. Shoaib Suddle, Former IG Police and Federal Tax Ombudsman, while other members included: Ms. Sherry Rehman, Senator, former Information Minister and Pakistan’s Ambassador to the USA; Ms. Shazia Marri, Member of National Assembly; Lt. Gen (retd) Asif Yasin Malik, Former Defense Secretary; Mr. Mohammad Sadiq, Former Ambassador; Ms. Seema Baloch, Former Ambassador; Mr. Mian Sanaullah, Former Ambassador; Mr. Rehman Azhar, Senior Journalist Express News; Mr. Zahid Hussain, Senior Journalist/ Analyst and Author; and Mr. Muhammad Tahir, Senior Journalist, and Editor at News Network International (NNI)).

The visit kick started with “Pak- Afghan Get Together, Musical Evening, and Dinner” at Hillview Hotel Islamabad, at 7 pm on Wednesday 5^th September, as interaction planned for the Alumni of ‘Afghan Studies Center’, an off-shoot of Beyond Boundaries (aimed to bring the youth of Pakistan and Afghanistan together through monthly youth dialogues and quarterly youth workshops), with the two PAJC delegations. More than 100 Pakistani and Afghan Students attended the evening and interacted with the two delegations. Mr. Rahimullah Qatra, Political Counsellor, Afghan Embassy, was the Chief Guest. The evening included Pakistani and Afghan musical performances by Hella Group (comprising young artists) in Darri, Pushto, and Urdu.

On Thursday 6^th September, the PAJC Groups bilateral dialogue was held at Serena Hotel, Islamabad, from 10 am to 5:30 pm. The bilateral dialogue comprised four sessions

During the first session, from 10 am to 1 pm, the PAJC groups held interactive discussion on: Review of Policy Recommendations of previous dialogue in Kabul (June); Pak Afghan bilateral developments under the new framework of APAPPS; Presentation by distinguished Pakistan core group member, Lt. Gen (retd) Asif Yasin Malik on “Security Perspective under APAPPS Framework and Optimism under the New Government in Pakistan”; Peace and Security Cooperation; Exchange of views to work jointly and build on the positives.

Mr. Zardasht Shams, Charge’ Daffaires’, Afghan Embassy, and Dr. Muhemmed Aejaz, Additional Secretary and DG Afghanistan, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Pakistan, were invited as chief guests for meetings with the two delegations, and share their respective viewpoints. The session was chaired by Dr. Moeed Yusuf, Associate Vice President, Asia Center, USIP and author of Brokering Peace in Nuclear Environments.

During discussions, Pakistani participants said that the new civilian government and the military in Pakistan were on the same page, which would bode well for bilateral relationship and Afghan peace process. They argued that Prime Minister Imran Khan’s victory speech on July 26 highlighted the new government’s vision for strengthened Pak-Afghan relations; showing the renewed importance the premier gives to Afghanistan. Mr. Khalid Pashtoon, head of Afghan delegation, also shared similar sentiments, saying: “We congratulate Pakistan on electing a new government, we are hopeful that the bilateral relations and overall situation will improve now, as for past many years two parties were ruling the country”.

Speaking at the opening session, Mr. Zardasht Shams expressed hope that Pakistan would extend help to reduce violence in Afghanistan. He said that surge in Taliban violence could have negative impact on bilateral dialogue. He further added “Afghanistan has a special relationship with Pakistan, which is dear to us; we have agreed on a comprehensive document APAPPS; since the will and positive spirit of both governments were there”.

Director General Afghanistan, Dr Aejaz assured the delegates that Pakistan had no favorite in Afghanistan and supported President Ashraf Ghani’s peace offer to the Taliban. Dr. Aejaz said “the fact that we could get to an agreement on the APAPPS document to bilaterally work on a framework for peace and stability, inclusive of civilian and military cooperation as well as addressing other bilaterally important issues; refugees and trade. Five working groups have been formed under the APAPPS framework and are now operationalized: i) Political Diplomatic Group; ii) Military to Military Cooperation Group; iii) Intelligence Sharing Group; iv) Refugees Group; v) Trade and Economic Group”. Meetings of these groups at different levels have already been held, last meeting of all five groups simultaneously was held in Kabul on 22 July, 2018. He apprised the groups that Foreign Minister’s first visit would be to Kabul (now announced publicly for 15 September) and would a first step in meeting the bilateral commitments under APAPPS at the highest level. We also would want to have reciprocal high level visits from Afghanistan.

The second session comprised Interactive discussion on Pak- Afghan Trade Relations, and included presentations from Ms. Faiza, Director Pakistan Afghanistan Joint Chamber of Commerce & Industry (PAJCCI), also designated member of trade working groups under APAPPS, on APAPPS Trade Working Group Mechanism and Action Plan and by Guest Speaker, Dr. Vaqar Ahmed, Joint Executive Director Sustainable Development Policy Institute (SDPI), on bilateral and transit trade.

The third session included interactive discussion on Refugees – Latest Developments on Repatriation and Resettlement; and Media – Role of media on both sides in improving bilateral relations, addressing misperceptions and media cooperation. Mr. Faridoon Sekander, Advisor to the CEO Afghanistan on Migration Affairs, gave a presentation on the steps that the Afghan government is taking for repatriation, resettlement and rehabilitation of returning refugees.

The fourth and wrap session included discussions on Way Forward from the deliberations and debate around the focused themes of the dialogue; Formulation of policy recommendations; where 2 members each from Pakistan and Afghanistan side worked together to draft the recommendations, and the chair read out the policy recommendations. At the end of the PAJC bilateral dialogue sessions the policy recommendations were finalized, approved, and adopted in consultation with all the PAJC members from the two sides, as a Joint Declaration. These sessions were chaired by Mr. Aized Ali, Project Director, CRSS.

The joint declaration adopted by the two PAJC groups urged their governments to:

1. For an early & effective operationization of APAPPS to facilitate peace and security in our two countries.
2. Focus on the humanitarian dimension of the bilateral relationship to end violence for a dignified return of refugees and honorable treatment to each other.
3. To increase exchanges related to economic and trade cooperation to overcome the barriers impeding trade.
4. Recognize that there has been a positive increase in bilateral trade.
5. Create a group represented by two persons each from the Afghan media and the Pakistani media using Beyond Boundaries as a platform to improve media interaction with the objective of creating a positive perception of bilateral relations.
6. To support Parliamentary elections in Afghanistan.
7. Recommends that Pakistani media channels should be issued visas to travel to Afghanistan for coverage of Afghan parliamentary elections in October 2018.
8. Recommends that APAPPS as a platform should be used for the betterment of the management of the refugees and the returnees to Afghanistan. On this platform, several other parallel issues their repatriation can also be resolved, related to their assets. The repatriation should also be carried out in a humanitarian manner.
9. Since Afghanistan is a priority area of the new government, Beyond Boundaries should be co-opted as a focal group to help in improving bilateral relations.
10. Assign focal points in the government of Pakistan and in the government of Afghanistan to facilitate implementation of recommendation of Beyond Boundaries.
11. Beyond Boundaries should submit a comprehensive document to the government of Pakistan starting from the first meeting in 2015, detailing what has been achieved and what could not be achieved, so as to introduce the efforts as well as accomplishments of Beyond Boundaries to the government. This should be presented to the Foreign Secretary and a copy should also be sent to the Prime Minister.
12. The government to overcome the barriers in trade.
13. Recommends Dari & Pashto dramas be dubbed in Urdu and aired in Pakistan and vice versa.

On the evening of 6^th, the Afghan delegation was hosted for dinner by CRSS Executive Director, Mr. Imtiaz Gul, at his residence.

The third day of the visit, Friday 7^th September, three members from Afghan PAJC group and one from Pakistan PAJC visited NUST University, from 10:30 am to 1:00 pm, at the Center for International Peace and Conflict Studies (CIPC), for interaction with youth and academia through lectures/ presentations by members from both the delegations on Pak- Afghan Relations; the university visits are part of the outreach to the youth designed for the initiative to counter misperceptions about each other and improve their understanding on the Pak-Afghan bilateral relations. Afghan Speakers included Mr Khalid Pashtoon, Memebr of Parliament; Mr Faridoon Sekendar, Advisor to CEO Dr Abdullah on Migration, and Mr Jarullah Mansoori, former Minister for Rural Development. Pakistan Speaker was Mr. Mian Sanaullah, former Ambassador. The PAJC members for the University Lecture were hosted at CIPC by Dr. Tughral Yamin, Associate Dean, Department of Peace and Conflict Studies.

Same day, CRSS had arranged a meeting of the two visiting senior journalists from Afghanistan, Mr. Anis Rahman Shinwari, of National TV of Afghanistan (RTA), and Mr. Wares Hasrat, of Ariana Television Network News,  at HUM News, Islamabad. They met with top managed and discussed the possibilities of joint partnership and HUM TV reporters visit to Afghanistan to cover the 20 October Parliamentary Elections, from 10:30 am to 12:30 pm.

As part of strategic sideline meetings with the Government of Pakistan, the two PAJC Groups held a meeting with Foreign Secretary, Ms. Tehmina Janjua, at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, at 2:30 pm.

Speaking to the two delegations, Ms. Janjua said “We have had a long history of sufferings. It is important that the people of two countries see peace and its benefits. We are happy to see APAPPS as a mechanism of bilateral relations to move forward towards peace & reconciliation. We had our first meeting of all five groups in Kabul on 22^nd July; there are similarities of ideas and thoughts. We are hopeful that APAPPS agreement will help us move forward, as there is political will of the two governments, and leadership of both governments. She further added: “we support the Afghan Parliamentary Elections coming up on 20 October and hope the elections are held peacefully”. She told the two delegations: “the most important thing for the APAPPS is we need to have senior leadership visits from both sides, as well as the people-to-people contacts should also continue; like your Beyond Boundaries track II initiative”.

The two PAJC delegations later also had a meeting with the Director General (DG) Inter Services Public Relations (ISPR), Major General Asif Ghafoor, at ISPR Head Office, GHQ, Rawalpindi, from 4:00 pm to 6:00 pm, which was followed by high-tea hosted by DG ISPR for both the delegations.

The DG ISPR welcomed the Afghan delegation by stating “It is a great pleasure for me to have you here today, any person or delegation coming from Afghanistan is most welcome here, as it gives us opportunity to share our thoughts and mutual concerns”. He further said that the APAPPS framework offered by Pakistan and now agreed by Afghanistan is an extremely useful bilateral mechanism. Under this mechanism now the positivity will increase. The meeting lasted for about two hours, where the Afghan delegation asked questions about their concerns as well as some reservations. The DG ISPR replied to all their concerns and reservations vis-à-vis various bilateral security and military issues. The meeting took place in a very informal, candid, frank, and productive manner. At the end the Afghan delegation requested Maj. Gen. Asif Ghafoor to visit Afghanistan and have a similar interaction with Afghan media and people. The DG ISPR responded positively, saying: “ I am ready to visit Afghanistan anytime at your invitation and to face Afghan media and answer any questions and concerns that you have; like I have done today with your delegation”.

As part of the strategic communication through media dissemination, Mr. Mozammil Shinwari from Afghanistan PAJC participated at GTV News program ‘Dialogue’ with Tahir Khan, for a discussion on Pak-Afghan bilateral relations, and to share his views on the recently concluded Beyond Boundaries bilateral dialogue.

Later that evening, the two PAJC delegations were hosted for dinner by the British High Commissioner to Pakistan, Mr. Thomas Drew. The dinner was also attended by chief guest, Mr. Gareth Bayley, British PM’s special representative on Afghanistan and Pakistan (who was visiting from London on an official visit), at the High Commissioner’s residence from 7:00 to 10:30 pm.

The three-day Beyond Boundaries Track-II visit concluded with the departure of the Afghan delegation for Kabul, from Islamabad International Airport, on the morning of 8^th September.

© Center for Research and Security Studies (CRSS) and Afghan Studies Center (ASC), Islamabad.