‘To blame Pakistan is extremely unfair’: PM Khan tells Ashraf Ghani

Prime Minister Imran Khan on Friday countered Afghan President Ashraf Ghani’s claims about Pakistan’s “negative role” in the Afghan peace process and said, “To blame Pakistan for what is going on in Afghanistan I feel is extremely unfair.” PM Khan was addressing the international conference on “Central and South Asia Regional Connectivity: Challenges and Opportunities” during his two-day visit to Uzbekistan.

“President Ghani, let me just say that the country that will be most affected by turmoil in Afghanistan is Pakistan. Pakistan suffered 70,000 casualties in the last 15 years. The last thing Pakistan wants is more conflict,” the premier said

“To blame Pakistan for what is going on in Afghanistan, I feel, is extremely unfair,” said PM Khan.

“Why would I come to Kabul if I was not interested in peace? The whole idea was that Afghanistan should have looked at Pakistan as a partner in peace. I feel really disappointed that we have been blamed for what is going on in Afghanistan.”

“I repeat, the last thing we want is turbulence in Afghanistan,” said PM Khan.

PM Khan added, “What is happening in Afghanistan is over two decades of conflict, deep divisions, and unfortunately the United States (US) seeking a military solution when there was no one. When there were 150,000 Nato troops in Afghanistan, the greatest military machine, that was the time to ask the Taliban to come on the table. Why were the Taliban to compromise when their existing date was given and with only a few thousand American troops left? Why would they [Taliban] listen to us, when they are sensing victory?”

He said that he had a conversation with Uzbekistan President Shavkat Mirziyoyev about how all the neighbours in the region can help the Afghan peace process. 

“All neighbours are interested in a peace settlement in Afghanistan. There are already three million Afghan refugees in Pakistan. We are petrified that will be another flow of refugees coming in. We do not have the capacity or the economic strength to bear another flow of refugees. So I can assure you again, if any country is trying its best of all the countries in the world, it’s Pakistan today.”

 Director-General Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) Lt Gen Faiz Hameed Friday rejected the allegations of infiltration levelled by Afghan President Ashraf Ghani.

 Afghan president had levelled unsubstantiated accusations against Pakistan, saying that 10,000 fighters had crossed over into Afghanistan from Pakistan.

“If talks fail, we will fight the Taliban,” said Ghani. “This is the last chance for peace,” he had said.

DG ISI explicitly stated that these accusations against Pakistan are not true. In fact, infiltration is being done from Afghanistan, he added.

“We want peace in the neighbouring country as a peaceful and stable Afghanistan is in the interest of Pakistan and other countries,” DG ISI said.

He said that Pakistan is not supporting any group in Afghanistan. “We are interested in a negotiated settlement among all the Afghan groups,” added DG ISI.