Pakistan's Special Representative for Afghanistan Ambassador (Retired) Muhammad Sadiq says durable peace and stability in Afghanistan requires a broad-based arrangement and productive engagement of its entire people.

Addressing a seminar in Islamabad today, he said Afghanistan stands at the crossroads of South Asia, Central Asia and West Asia and whatever happens there, it shapes trade, security and stability for the entire European landmass.

He further said that today in Afghanistan, the governing structure remains myopic and unrepresentative. The most visible example of this exclusion is the systemic erasure of women from public life.

Pakistan's Special Representative for Afghanistan said the continued presence of militant organizations on Afghan soil, which are active there, pose a direct threat to neighbours and to the wider region.

He noted that unfortunately, the current regime in Kabul remains in a state of denial on this second fold. It neither acknowledges the scale of this presence, nor addresses it in a verifiable manner.

Muhammad Sadiq said for Pakistan, this thing results in tangible increase in cross border security challenges. Besides, it has also raised legitimate concerns about border stability for Central Asian countries.

He said Afghanistan cannot be treated as a bilateral issue, but it is a collective responsibility and the mandate of the United Nations, the Organization of Islamic Cooperation, and the Shanghai Cooperation Organization to address the challenges in Afghanistan.