UNITED NATIONS: Reaffirming Pakistan’s commitment to a peaceful and stable Afghanistan, a top Pakistani diplomat told the UN General Assembly on Wednesday that Islamabad would play a facilitating role in the Afghan reconciliation process, as the 193-member body adopted a resolution on the situation in that war-torn country.

At the same time, Ambassador Masood Khan said Pakistan has “no favourites” in the process, while stressing that there should be “realistic expectations” about his country’s role.

“Our government, under the leadership of Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, is making conscious and resolute effort to forge closer ties with Afghanistan, to oppose immediate security threats, to strengthen bilateral economic cooperation, and to shape an environment for regional connectivity,” he said.

The 105-paragraph resolution, which was co-sponsored by Pakistan, targeted the areas of security and transition, peace, reconciliation and reintegration, governance, rule of law and human rights, social and economic development, regional cooperation, counter narcotics and coordination.

By the text, the Assembly supported the continuing and growing ownership of reconstruction and development efforts by the Government of Afghanistan.

In his speech, Ambassador Masood Khan said he was pleased to sponsor this year’s resolution on Afghanistan, which came at a defining moment as that country negotiated momentous political, security and economic transitions in 2014. Gains made in Afghanistan over the last decade must not be wasted or reversed, and military withdrawal should not be a synonym for reduced focus.

Afghanistan must not be abandoned again, the Pakistani envoy said, adding that strenuous efforts were being made to ensure that planned transitions would lead to a stronger and more stable country. There should be no vacuums, and there were encouraging signs in that direction.

In that context, he said, planned elections next year would consolidate democracy, reinforce the rule of law and strengthen norms of broad representation and accountability.

Furthermore, the most crucial ingredient was a peace and reconciliation process that was Afghan-led and Afghan-owned.

Pakistan’s fear, he said, was that an economic slowdown in Afghanistan post-2014 might result in more refugees wanting to move to its territory. It would not be able to absorb them. While Pakistan was committed to supporting Afghans in distress, at the same time early and sustainable return of refugees should continue.—APP