WASHINGTON: Foreign Minister Khawaja Asif, speaking about the new US policy in Afghanistan, told journalists at the Pakistan embassy on Thursday that Islamabad is “genuinely concerned” about New Delhi’s role in the plan.
Asif said that the Pak-US bilateral relationship had taken a new turn after the announcement of Washington’s South Asia strategy.
“If on one hand, the US has its concerns about the future of Afghanistan, Pakistan seeks recognition of its legitimate security concerns in the region. We are genuinely concerned with respect to the role accorded in the strategy to India, in general, and its efforts, geared towards destabilisation in Balochistan, in particular.”
“Pakistan believes that, unless there is stability in Afghanistan, the dividends of peace in the region would continue to elude us,” he maintained. To achieve that goal both the US and Pakistan need to work closely, he stressed.
“On our part, we have completely wiped out all the hideouts used by terrorists and anti-state elements. However, this is an ongoing process with continuing intelligence-based operations by law enforcement agencies across the country,” he added.
“We have offered candid cooperation to Afghanistan during the recent visit of Chief of Army Staff Gen Qamar Bajwa and the foreign secretary to Kabul, where they had successful and productive meetings with [Afghan] President Ashraf Ghani, the CEO Abdullah Abdullah and others in the Afghan hierarchy,” he said.
Pakistan is extremely concerned about safe havens of terrorists, operating mostly from ungoverned spaces in Afghanistan, which are more than 40 per cent of the total area of the country, he claimed.
The minister claimed that a number of terrorist attacks in Pakistan in recent months had been traced back to elements operating from bases in Afghanistan.
“I would like to reiterate that Pakistan will continue to play a positive role in bringing peace to the region through measures agreed upon by all relevant stakeholders,” he said.
Asif—who is currently on a visit to Washington at the invitation of Secretary of State Rex Tillerson—termed his “cordial and useful” meeting with Tillerson an “important interaction”.
“My visit is essentially in follow-up to Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi’s meeting with Vice President Mike Pence on the sidelines of UNGA on September 19, 2017.”
“We want to build a relationship founded on mutual respect. We firmly believe that through consistent, structured and constructive engagement, at political and diplomatic levels, both the countries can continue to work together for the common goal of peace, stability and prosperity in South Asia.
“We also see enormous investment and business opportunities in Pakistan for corporate America, particularly after Pakistan’s remarkable successes in the war against terror and a significant reduction in terrorist incidents in the country,” he told journalists.
Asif expressed hope that international media, particularly US media, would play a positive role in Pakistan’s efforts towards establishing regional peace and “reflect Pakistan’s changing realities in its reporting”.
ASIF MEETS GEN MCMASTER:
Earlier, Khawaja Asif met the Assistant to US President for National Security Affairs Lt General McMaster at the White House.
According to reports, the two leaders discussed bilateral relations as well as ways in which the two countries could promote mutually beneficial cooperation. They also discussed regional situation, particularly Afghanistan.
The foreign minister briefed NSA about Pakistan’s perspective on the US strategy. Asif stressed the importance that Pakistan attaches to peace in Afghanistan and emphasised the need to work together for regional peace and stability.
Dear Mr. Editor, India didn’t have a destiny from its beginning. Jinnah was a most well read statesman. He knew us, his nation, ignorant and blind to the very ethos of Islam. He created Pakistan as a modern country with religious freedom to all its communities. Pakistan will In sha Allah get back its lost East Punjab with J&K in it. Similarly, Allah will give Bangladesh the West Bengal and full Assam. They’ll expand and capture Burma. We can make Donald Trump our friend instead of seeking to be his friend. Terrorism is a curse of God. I have addressed President Trum. Let us create a Think Tank. Let us make the Taliban read te word of Allah in Qur’an about terrorism and their role in it. He will cast His “Rob” (terror) on all terrorists including our Hafiz Saeed and the other scoundrel JeM. But at same time etb us get on the right side of Allah Ta’ala. Allah Subhnahu has loaded us with His blessings to shair with our neighbours. Lt us wind up all mushroom “Deeni Jama’atain in our proposed Think Tnk and start with a fresh approach in life under God’s guidance.
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Isnt this the nincompoop who talked about the Paki bum in response to a fake Israeli Defence Minister’s tweet? Does he think India is in Afghanistan only because of US. India has its independent policy and unlike Pakistan doesnt need to depend on Big powers like the US or the “higher than himalayas/sweeter than honey” brother. Does he think the world cares what he says? First Pakistan is a nobody in international affairs, second he is a civilian with absolutely no clue about his countrys foreign policy as its run by the army and not the civilians. Who is going to take this schumk seriously?
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