PM says just Afghan issue can’t define Pak-US ties

• Abbasi says issues should be perceived through outcome of bilateral talks, not through statements
• ‘India must end violations in Kashmir, cease LoC violations and end cold doctrine to start talks’

ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi on Sunday said that ties between Pakistan and the US were based upon decades old diplomatic, political and historic affinities and could not be defined with the sole issue of Afghanistan.

During an interview in a Geo TV programme, he said that both the governments in Islamabad and Washington were committed to remain engaged over a range of issues, including the issue of war on terror as Pakistan had been fighting the biggest war in the world against the menace.

To a query about recent statements of US officials, the prime minister said that they had to see the outcome of the bilateral meetings held at the highest levels. Referring to his meetings with US vice president, brief interaction with US President Donald Trump followed by recent meetings of Foreign Affairs Minister Khawaja Muhammad Asif during his US visit, he said that those were very constructive.

He said that Pakistan presented its stance in a very candid and clear manner as both the countries were partners in the war on terror which required them to deal the issue jointly. The prime minister maintained that issues should be perceived through the outcome of the bilateral talks and not through statements given by the US officials during their hearing before the Congress or at other forums.

To a query, he said that after Trump’s statement about new Afghanistan strategy, the parliament and the National Security Committee had given a unanimous message which was the government’s clear response. Subsequent meetings further clarified the issues, he said. “We placed our stance very clearly and they appreciated it,” he said.

Prime Minister Abbasi said that the basic issue was Pakistan had been fighting the biggest war against terrorism with deployment of about 200,000 armed forces personnel. “It had offered huge sacrifices as a large number of civilian and law enforcement agencies personnel laid down their lives in that war. The whole world acknowledged it,” he said.

To a question, he replied terrorists’ leadership had safe havens on Afghan soil from where they attacked Pakistan’s border areas. “We have clearly told Washington that no country other than Pakistan wanted durable peace in Afghanistan,” he said, adding the Afghan government had to deal with the issue itself as war was no solution.

To another question, the prime minister said that India wanted to divert attention over its atrocities in Kashmir through false allegations about Pakistan’s support to indigenous Kashmiri struggle for freedom. He said that even their own reports had exposed the terror unleashed by the Indian forces against innocent Kashmiris.

Prime Minister Abbasi reiterated Pakistan’s moral, legal and diplomatic support for the Kashmiri people in their struggle for the right to self-determination. He maintained that India was not on the list of friendly countries as Islamabad could not expect good intentions on her part. “We have to defend our country. Conspiracies are being hatched to build narrative against Pakistan and we have to confront them,” he added.

He referred to growing Indian influence in Afghanistan and said India had always been involved in conspiracies to destabilise Pakistan. Expressing his determination, he said that Pakistan was countering all conspiracies and would confront them. It was cognizant of all such machinations and would deal them accordingly, he said.

About prospects of prime ministerial level talks with India, Abbasi categorically ruled them out by linking the initiative with addressing the core issue of Kashmir. To discuss issues, India must end gross human violations in Kashmir, implement UN resolutions, cease Line of Control violations and budge from its cold doctrine, he said.

“We are open at all levels,” he said and made it clear that it was not possible at the prime ministerial level under such scenario. He reminded India to accept Kashmiris’ right to self-determination as on the other hand, the whole world had acknowledged their stance for freedom from the occupational forces.

The prime minister maintained that the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) was part of the Chinese government’s initiative of ‘One Belt One Road’ and a flagship of vast infrastructure and energy projects. He dismissed US statement over CPEC and said the UN should take measures to implement Security Council resolutions over Kashmir.