F.P. Report
ISLAMABAD: Telling members of his cabinet that Afghanistan was a ‘sensitive’ issue, Prime Minister Imran Khan has reportedly stopped them from issuing statements on it, on Wednesday.
Local news channel reported that the prime minister had given these instructions to his ministers during the meeting of the federal cabinet on Tuesday.
“Not all the ministers should speak on the subject at any platform, including media. Only the concerned ministers are authorized to make statements on the current situation of Afghanistan,” he told members of his cabinet.
PM Imran, on the occasion, said that India was the ‘biggest loser’ in Afghanistan. “India was busy hatching conspiracies against Pakistan in Afghanistan,” he said, and added, “Now when former president Ashraf Ghani is gone, and the Taliban have taken over, India has lost all it had invested in the war-torn country.”
“People of Afghanistan have to decide their own future. We are happy that there has been no loss of life of ordinary people following the Taliban takeover,” the prime minister said, and added, “Had there been bloodshed in the country, Pakistan’s enemies would have blamed us for that.”
Talking to the members of an Afghan delegation on Wednesday, Prime Minister Imran Khan made it clear that no other country in the world stood to gain more from peace in Afghanistan than Pakistan.
Expressing his solidarity with the people of Afghanistan on the occasion, he said no other country was as much interested in peace in the landlocked country than Pakistan. “The present situation places a heavy responsibility on the shoulders of the Taliban, the de facto rulers of Afghanistan,” he commented.
The prime minister was of the view that if Afghanistan were to progress, its leadership would have to play a constructive role. “Political settlement is necessary for a peaceful Afghanistan,” he opined.
PM Imran expressed his government’s resolve that it would continue to back all positive and constructive steps taken by the Afghan government.
Members of the delegation, on the occasion, thanked him for giving them a warm reception, and also praised Pakistan’s efforts for peace in the war-torn country.
They also expressed the desire to further improve relations between the two countries.
Meanwhile, PM Imran had telephonic conversations with a number of world leaders on Wednesday on the situation unfolding in Pakistan’s western neighbour.
In his talk with UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson and Turkish President Tayyip Erdoğan and other world leaders, he brought home to them the significance of a peaceful and strong Afghanistan for Pakistan.
