National December 24, 2020 ISLAMABAD: Speaker National Assembly Asad Qaisar on Wednesday said Afghanistan can serve as a gateway to Central Asia for extending economic outreach, sustainable bilateral relations and prosperity of both countries. “Connecting people, building peace and promoting cooperation are in the best interest of both countries,” Asad Qaisar said, while addressing a meeting of the 7th Pakistan-Afghanistan Joint Committee here on Wednesday. He further elaborated that the people of Pakistan, regardless of their ethnic belonging, were bound together by the everlasting cultural, religious and historical affinities, adding that a peaceful Afghanistan is in the larger interest of Pakistan. Speaker National Assembly commended the commitment of political leadership of both the countries to fostering parliamentary, economic and people-to-people contacts. He said the parliament was feeling the need to bring both the countries closer and for that the Parliamentary Friendship Groups comprising members of all the political parties should be functionalised. Apprising about his initiatives, Asad Qaiser said the recommendations on removing obstacles to smooth trade and peoples’ movement across the border had been identified and forwarded to the executive.