ISLAMABAD (NNI): Pakistan says its immense sacrifices and contribution in global counter-terrorism efforts have been internationally acknowledged.
This was stated by Foreign Office Spokesperson Nafees Zakaria at weekly news briefing in Islamabad on Friday.
The Spokesperson quoted many commanders and officials of the United States who paid visit to the areas where anti-terrorism operations were being held and had commended the consolidated efforts of Pakistan’s security forces to counter terrorism.
Responding to US President Donald Trump’s criticism on Pakistan for “housing the very terrorist Americans are fighting in the war-torn country,” the Foreign Office spokesperson said that Pakistan has made sincere efforts for peace in the war-torn Afghanistan.
Zakaria said Pakistan’s position on the neighbouring country is clear: “It has sincerely striven for peaceful Afghanistan.” The international community, including America, had become aware of Pakistan’s response to the American president’s accusations, he added.
“No country in the world has rendered sacrifices more than Pakistan in the fight against terrorism,” he said and reiterated Pakistan will continue to make efforts for bringing peace to the region.
Slamming Trump’s request to India to play a greater role in stabilizing and developing Afghanistan, Zakaria said the country involved in state-sponsored terrorism cannot bring peace and stability in the region.
In India, Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) and other extremist outfits influencing the verdicts of courts, he said while expressing concern over the release of the culprits involved in Smjhota Express attack.
The Spokesperson said the Thursday’s National Security Committee’s meeting vivifies Pakistan`s stance on the US policy. Responding to a question, the Spokesperson said that Pakistan has clearly mentioned that India cannot be a net security provider in the South Asian region when it has conflictual relationships with all its neighbors and is pursuing a policy of destabilizing Pakistan.
The Spokesperson said Foreign Minister Khawaja Asif intends to visit a number of countries but no dates have yet been finalized.
On Thursday, the meeting of National Security Committee was held in Islamabad with Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi in chair to discuss the Trump Administration’s South Asia Strategy. The committee observed that to scapegoat Pakistan will not help in stabilizing Afghanistan. In fact, being its immediate neighbor, Pakistan has an abiding interest in peace and stability in Afghanistan.
“Pakistan had to manage the blowback of a protracted conflict in Afghanistan that resulted in deluge of refugees, flow of drugs and arms and more recently in the shape of terrorist safe havens in eastern Afghanistan from where anti-Pakistan terrorist groups continue to operate and launch attacks inside Pakistan,” the committee observed.
The fact remains that the complex issues and internal dynamics inside Afghanistan pose a grave challenge not only to Pakistan but to the broader region and the international community. While noting the US commitment to continue to shoulder the burden of Afghanistan and reverse the expanding ungoverned spaces in the country, the National Security Committee observed that Pakistan has consistently supported all international efforts for a stable and peaceful Afghanistan and has also committed more than a billion US dollars for infrastructure and social development in that country.
Over the years, Pakistan has worked with both the United States and Afghanistan to promote peace through a politically negotiated outcome which, in Pakistan’s view, remains the best option to bring stability to this war torn country. A prolonged military campaign in Afghanistan has resulted in destruction and killing of hundreds of thousands of Afghan civilians.
“It is Pakistan’s expectation that any strategy adopted to stabilize Afghanistan will succeed to end this protracted conflict and usher in an era of peace in the country paving way for the dignified return of millions of Afghan refugees residing in Pakistan for which we are willing to extend all possible cooperation,” the Foreign Office stated.
