PESHAWAR: Afghan Consul General Dr Abdullah Waheed Pohan has said that Afghanistan and Pakistan have suffered a lot due to terrorism in the past years and the time has come that the governments and people of the two countries should come forward to restore lasting peace in the region.

`There is a lack of mutual understanding between the people of Afghanistan and Pakistan despite being followers of the same religion, culture, language,customs and traditions for which the governments of the two countries should take serious steps to end misconceptions,` Dr Pohan told a two-day `Pak-Afghan Culture Corridor Workshop`, which concluded on Sunday.

The culture department of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and PakAfghan People`s Forum had joined hands to arrange the workshop at the Area Study Centre of the University of Peshawar to bring closer the people of the two countries.

Expert on Pak-Afghan affairs and head of Afghan delegation Akbar Jan Faulad, Khushal Rohi, head of Pak-Afghan People`s Forum Alamzeb Khan, director culture Abdul Basit and a number of poets, scholars, writers, lawyers, journalists and professors attended the event, said a press release issued by the culture department.Dr Pohan said that Paksitan and Afghanistan enjoyed cordial relations and people-to-people contacts would further improve with the passage of time as both the countries were taking serious steps for the restoration of peace in the region.

Mr Faulad said that exchange of delegations would pave the way for improving the trade and cultural ties between people of the two countries.

`We are followers of the same religion, language and culture, but still a wide gulf exists between the two countries,` he said, adding that concerted efforts were needed to end the hostilities.

Organisers of the workshop said that it was aimed at increasing public contacts between Pakistan and Afghanistan about cultural, tourist, sports, minerals and other fields andintroduce these sectors to the people of the two countries.

On the first day, Mr Basit, vicechancellor of Iqra University Prof Shah Jehan, retired Brig Nazir Mohmand, Nisar Mohammad Khan, Prof Dr Farman, Dr Khushal Rumi and a 20-member Afghan delegation attended the event.

Mr Basit said that the provincial government had always taken steps for promotion of culture, sports, tourism, archaeology, and youth development in the province. Different thematic committees were constituted during the workshop for various sections of the Pak-Afghan cultural corridor.

The committees put forward suggestions and the future course of action was prepared in their light. A musical show and poetry re cital session were also arrange d to entertain the participants.