—‘Pakistan will continue to be part of global counter-terrorism efforts’
ISLAMABAD: In response to criticism by American President Donald Trump that Pakistan provides safe haven to terrorists, the Pakistan Foreign Office, on Tuesday, has said that no country in the world has done more to curb the menace of terrorism than Pakistan.
In the regular session of the Cabinet held on Tuesday, American President Donald Trump’s strategy on Afghanistan and South Asia was discussed and it was mandated that the Prime Minister Khaqan Abbasi take up the issue in detail in the meeting of the National Security Committee tomorrow (August 24, 2017).
The Foreign Office (FO), while taking note of Trump’s statement in which he outlined elements of a new US policy on the region, said that no country in the world has suffered more than Pakistan from the scourge of terrorism, which is often perpetrated from outside its borders. Therefore, it is disappointing that the US policy statement ignores the enormous sacrifices rendered by the Pakistani nation in this effort, the statement from the FO spokesperson read.
It further said that Pakistan has been, and will continue to be part of the global counter-terrorism efforts. Pakistan and the United States have been close allies in the fight against terrorism, which is a common threat for all nations of the world, the spokesperson said. As a matter of policy, Pakistan does not allow the use of its territory against any country; instead of relying on the false narrative of safe havens, the US needs to work with Pakistan to eradicate terrorism.
It was also emphasised that the threat to peace and security cannot be isolated from the complex interplay of geopolitics, the continued existence of festering disputes and the pursuit of hegemonic policies. Non-resolution of the Jammu and Kashmir dispute remains the primary obstacle to peace and stability in the region, the spokesperson said while adding that there is no exclusive military solution to the crisis in Afghanistan.
The spokesperson further said that the military action during the last 17 years has not brought peace to Afghanistan, and it is not likely to do so in the future, and only an Afghan-led, Afghan-owned politically negotiated solution can lead to sustainable peace in Afghanistan.
Pakistan is committed to working with the international community towards the common objective of defeating the forces of terrorism and to promote peace and stability in the South Asian region, the statement from the FO spokesperson concluded.