The Chairman of the High Council for National Reconciliation in Afghanistan, Abdullah Abdullah said on September 29, that Pakistan and Afghanistan are at the threshold of a new era of bilateral relations based on mutual respect and shared prosperity, reports Daily Times. Abdullah was speaking at a public talk organised by the Institute of Strategic Studies Islamabad (ISSI), in which he talked about the negotiations between the Taliban and the Afghan Government in Qatar (Doha) and bilateral relations. “Peace and prosperity in both Pakistan and Afghanistan are interdependent. There was a need to go beyond the rhetoric and the usual conspiracy theories, as one cannot afford to pursue dissolution,” the Afghan leader said. “We need to take into account the current geo-political shifts and draw necessary lessons about our gains, losses, threats and opportunities. We should aim to reduce tensions, promote moderation, increase regional connectivity, trade, transit, economic integration, business to business and more importantly, people to people interactions,” Abdullah stated.