Pakistan Absolutely Crucial Regional Player, Says Afghanistan Official

“Pakistan is absolutely crucial player at the regional level,” said Jawed Ludin, the deputy foreign minister of Afghanistan.

In a conversation Wednesday with nCa, Ludin spoke optimistically about the bilateral and multilateral interaction between Afghanistan and Pakistan. He expressed hope that ‘challenges of confidence’ would be a thing of the past.

Ludin said, “Basically we are talking of two different strands. One is bilateral – on bilateral level we have a number of very important areas where we are focusing on. We have obviously had challenges of confidence in the past but now, I think, we are moving forward on that.”

“We would like their support in the reconciliation process, and obviously the counterterrorism and a number of other things,” he added.

At the regional level, Ludin saw a wider role for Pakistan in key areas of security and economic cooperation.

“When it comes to regional level, obviously we are very confident that Pakistan is aware for their security, for our security, for shared prosperity, it is really important to build trust at the regional level” said the Afghan deputy foreign minister.

He emphasized, “It is time this region moves forward.”

On the broader regional cooperation Ludin said, “The regional cooperation, economic cooperation particularly, and cooperation in many other areas, has not taken roots, has not really materialized, because we have not addressed some of the key components.”

“Countries in this part of the world are away from each other. There is lack of confidence and trust between them. There is lot of political fragmentation,” underlined Ludin.

Stating the obvious, Ludin said, “It is in the interest of everyone for that to happen.”