Russia must help stabilise Afghanistan situation: Pakistan minister

Moscow: Russia should lead the process of stabilisation of the situation in Afghanistan, Pakistan's Defence Minister Khawaja Asif said on Thursday.

"Pakistan would support all initiatives to bring peace in Afghanistan," said Asif during a meeting with his Russian counterpart Sergei Shoigu.

Asif was in the Russian capital to attend the 6th Moscow Conference on International Security, Geo TV reported.

"The world is not getting calmer and stable, and in these conditions, we are again and again saying that fighting international terrorism requires the consolidation of all interested forces," said Shoigu.

Asif spoke about the Kashmir issue at the conference and said that if unresolved, the issue has the potential to threaten the peace and stability of the entire region.

"The Kashmir issue must be resolved in accordance with the UN resolution," Pakistan's Defence minister said. 

Asif accused India of staying away from any plausible diplomatic approach for the resolution of Kashmir issue.

"I must share that all peace overtures and sincere efforts made by Pakistan are not being reciprocated (by India)," he said.

Expressing his views on the situation in the Middle East, Asif termed the US attack on Syria in retaliation to the April 4 chemical attack on Khan Sheikhoun town as "external interference".