ISLAMABAD – Pakistan on Wednesday cautioned the United States against beginning any “new great game” in the neighbouring war-torn country of Afghanistan, saying this would have serious ramifications for regional peace and stability.
During the meeting between Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gilani and visiting US Vice President Joseph Biden, Pakistan’s concerns and apprehensions over “foreign intervention” in its tribal regions through Afghanistan were discussed in detail and the American leader was told that it was a source of great trouble in Pakistani border regions. “The US vice president was told that Pakistan does not want any state to indulge in a ‘proxy war’ or steps that impact sovereignty of either Pakistan or Afghanistan,” an official told Pakistan Today.
“Pakistan is against any “new great game” in Afghanistan as it will undermine the peace and stability in the whole region, Biden was told,” he said.
“Biden, on his part, assured that there would be “no foreign boots on the ground” in Pakistan as his country fully respects the sovereign status of its friendly nation,” he said.
He said Biden told the prime minister that the US understood Pakistan’s concerns vis-a-vis Afghanistan and it would look into it.
He said it was at the meeting between Gilani and the US vice president that the two sides tried to narrow down their differences regarding counterterrorism efforts and especially on the issue of an operation in North Waziristan.
“The Pakistani side told Biden about its plan to go for ‘limited surgical strikes’ instead of full-fledged military operation, in North Waziristan as the Pakistan Army is overstretched because of its ongoing operations in almost all the tribal regions,” he said.
“Biden listened to Pakistan’s plan keenly and it was decided to continue consultations on the contentious issue during the upcoming meetings between President Asif Ali Zardari and US officials during Zardari’s visit to Washington starting today (Thursday),” the official said.
