- Civil and military leadership examines security situation as change of hands takes place in India, Afghanistan
- PM puts national security on top, looks forward to cooperate with Modi
- Pakistan conveys Afghan leadership its reluctance to play a part in Afghan polls
The civil and military leadership of the country on Tuesday took stock of the fast developments taking place on its eastern and western borders as elections in India bring Narendra Modi to power while Abdullah Abdullah is likely to take charge of Afghanistan.
Well-placed sources in the government told Pakistan Today that the leadership has decided to remain neutral in the second phase of Afghan presidential elections scheduled to take place on June 14.
A high-level meeting on security issues, chaired by Prime Minister Muhammad Nawaz Sharif, was held at the Prime Minister’s House Tuesday.
The meeting was attended by Minister for Interior Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan, Chief of Army Staff (COAS) General Raheel Sharif, Advisor to PM on Foreign Affairs and National Security Sartaj Aziz, Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) Director General (DG) Lt General Zaheerul Islam, Chief of General Staff Lt General Ashfaq Nadeem, MO DG Maj General Amir Riaz, Secretary to PM Javaid Aslam and Additional Secretary to PM Fawad Hasan Fawad.
PAKISTAN CAN’T TAKE SIDES IN AFGHAN ELECTIONS:
During the meeting, COAS General Sharif briefed the premier regarding his recent visit to Kabul and his discussions on border coordination and security for second phase of Afghan presidential elections.
“The army chief informed the meeting that the Afghan authorities had requested Pakistan to help the Afghan authorities in the second phase of Afghan presidential elections. However, the civil and political leadership decided to remain neutral in Afghan elections as it was pursuing a policy of non-interference in all the sovereign states,” a source privy to the details of the meeting revealed.
The source added that the meeting noted that since the drawdown was approaching, Pakistan could not afford to side with any faction in Afghan elections as it wanted the people of Afghanistan to decide their future leadership without any foreign interference.
“The army chief told his Afghan counterpart that Pakistan could not afford risk of confrontation on its eastern and western borders simultaneously. So he told Afghan officials that Pakistan will stay out of the Afghan polls. The army chief also briefed the meeting on his meetings with the Afghan leadership and the intelligence reports shared with him about the possibility of new leadership emerging victorious in the presidential polls,” the source said, adding that the Afghan government believed that Abdullah Abdullah was likely to win the next elections.
According to reports, Abdullah Abdullah has been a vocal anti-Pakistan leader and a leader of anti-Pakistan northern alliance. During his office of minister for foreign affairs of Afghanistan, Abdullah Abdullah was known to be a pro-Indian and anti-Pakistan hawk in Afghan administration.
The source said that the meeting resolved to closely monitor the developments in Afghanistan as drawdown of US and ISAF forces was nearing.
PAKISTAN TO COOPERATE WITH INDIA’S ELECTED LEADERSHIP:
“Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif also briefed the meeting on his telephonic conversation with Indian leader Narendra Modi. He told the meeting that Pakistan would cooperate and work with the elected leadership of India and Afghanistan in best interest of the region and to help maintain peace and development for the peoples of the three countries,” the source added.
Moreover, the premier underlined that national security was of paramount importance for the country as the meeting also reviewed law and order situation in Balochistan and Karachi.
TAKE NOTE OF CHINESE KIDNAPPING:
Sources said that DG ISI Lt General Zaheerul Islam briefed the meeting on the security environment. They said that the prime minister also took notice of kidnapping of a Chinese tourist from Dera Ismail Khan. In this regard, the prime minister directed the authorities to take immediate steps for recovery of the abducted Chinese national.
