ISLAMABAD - A key regional conference on Afghanistan was jointly inaugurated by Pakistani Prime Minister Muhammad Nawaz Sharif and Afghan President Ashraf Ghani, in Islamabad on Wednesday.

The 'Heart of Asia' conference began with an aim to intensify efforts for regional linkages and to promote peace and stability in war-torn Afghanistan.

Sharif and Ghani jointly inaugurated the conference attended by Foreign Ministers of several countries, including India's External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj.

Sharif, in his inaugural address, said, "Afghanistan is the heart of Asia and if there is trouble in the heart, the entire region will be turbulent."

He said peace was vital for development and extended full support for the elected government of Afghanistan, saying it was the "only representative of the Afghan people".

Sharif also called for collective approach to combat the menace of extremism and terrorism.

"Working for the achievement of a peaceful neighbourhood is a cardinal principal of Pakistan's foreign policy. We firmly believe that peace is vital for development, and development is vital for durable peace" he said.

The Pakistan Prime Minister welcomed the delegates and promised full support to all efforts for increasing peace in the region with the emphasis on stabilising Afghanistan.

Ghani spoke at length about prospects and challenges Afghanistan faced. He said Afghanistan has come a long way in building close ties with his all its neighbours.

He highlighted that security was a threat but promised that "2016 will be better".

Ghani told the conference "enemies" had unsuccessfully tried to divide Afghanistan but they had been failed. He blamed "regional and international terror groups" for the violence in his country.

"In the past, there has been the temptation to use non-state actors as instruments of foreign policy," he added, in a clear reference to Afghan assertions that Pakistan supports the Taliban to maintain influence in Afghanistan.

Pakistan denies that.

"I have had to become a war president, because an all-out war has been imposed on us," Ghani said.

"Unfortunately, recent events in Pakistan have forced us to host 350,000 to 500,000 refugees from Pakistan ... the refugee issue is a common issue, like all issues," Ghani said.

The theme of the conference, Sharif said, "reflects our desire for promoting regional development, increasing economic linkages, improving quality of life for our peoples and meeting security challenges."

In his address, Sharif said, "the democratically elected government in Afghanistan is the legitimate authority in the country."

"The enemies of Afghanistan are the enemies of Pakistan and the (Pakistan) government will continue to support an Afghan-led and Afghan-owned peace process that remains the most viable option to promote stability and end violence," he said.

"For us, Afghanistan is more than a neighbour. Our cordial ties are rooted in shared history, common religion, cultural and linguistic affinities and people to people relations since time immemorial. Due to these close bonds, Pakistan has always stood by Afghanistan," he said. (Monitoring Desk)