PM Shehbaz urges Afghan Taliban to rein in terror groups

LONDON/ISLAMABAD (APP): Calling Afghanistan a brotherly neighbouring country, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Sunday urged the Afghan Taliban to stop cross-border terrorism.

“We always have to live like neighbours. It depends on us whether we live as good neighbours or cause conflicts,” he said about Afghanistan while talking to journalists in London after a visit to Belarus.

Shehbaz Sharif said, “Numerous times we gave a message to the Afghan interim government that according to the Doha agreement, they will not allow the use of land of Afghanistan for terrorism in any way. But unfortunately, TTP, ISKP and other terrorist organizations operate from there and they have martyred innocent people of Pakistan.”

The prime minister said the sacrifices rendered by the people, armed forces, police and other law enforcement agencies would not go in vain.

“It is my sincere advice to Afghanistan that it should immediately rein in the terrorist organizations and should not allow use of its land by these elements,” he added.

Prime Minister Sharif said Pakistan would benefit from the expertise of Belarus in the agriculture sector by undertaking joint ventures in the country for the agriculture machinery presently being manufactured in Belarus.

He said his visit to Belarus was beneficial and successful.

He said Allah Almighty had blessed Pakistan with mineral wealth, adding in Belarus, he visited a factory making machinery related to mines and minerals and with the grace of Allah, cooperation would also be furthered in this field.

An understanding was reached with Belarus for sending 150,000 skilled Pakistani youth to Belarus and they would be sent purely on merit, he added.

He said Punjab Speed was Pakistan Speed, which had now become Super Pakistan Speed.

“We are serving the nation under the leadership of Nawaz Sharif. God willing, Pakistan, which is progressing and rapidly moving towards prosperity, is our destination,” he added.

“God willing, we will achieve this destination with collective efforts, hard work of day and night and with the prayers of the whole nation,” he remarked.

He said, “Today overseas convention has started and it will be a large historic convention. Overseas Pakistanis are coming to their home Pakistan.”

Overseas Pakistanis work day and night and shine the name of Pakistan and send remittances of billions of dollars every year, he added.

“This year the remittances sent by overseas Pakistanis increased considerably,” he said, adding convention will be a great opportunity to talk to them.

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He said he would listen closely to the just demands of overseas Pakistanis and would implement them speedily as much as possible.