‘Pakistan will absolutely not allow CIA to use bases for Afghanistan Operations’: PM Khan

Pakistan will “absolutely not” allow the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) to use bases on its soil for cross-border counter-terrorism missions after American forces withdraw from Afghanistan said, Prime Minister Imran Khan.

Pakistan’s PM @imrankhanPTI to @jonathanvswan on whether he’d allow the U.S. to set up a presence in his country to carry out counterterrorism missions against ISIS and the Taliban in Afghanistan: “Absolutely not.”

Watch the full #AxiosOnHBO interview Sunday @ 6pm ET on @hbomax. pic.twitter.com/9q9JgGaxAa

— Axios (@axios) June 18, 2021

In an interview with Jonathan Swan of HBO Axios, which will be aired Monday at 3:00 am PST, the premier reiterated Pakistan’s stance on the use of military bases and categorically stated that Islamabad will not allow it.

The US is in talks with Pakistan and other regional countries for cooperation in future operations in the war-torn country to keep a check on militancy.

The prime minister was again asked by the US media for his comments on giving access to the CIA to military bases.

“Will you allow the American government to have the CIA here in Pakistan to conduct cross border counter-terrorism missions against Al Qaeda, ISIS and the Taliban?” Swan asked the premier.

“Absolutely not,” PM Khan responded.

Foreign Minister (FM) Shah Mahmood Qureshi had said earlier that Pakistan wants a stable Afghanistan, but there are some elements who do not want peace in the region.

The FM had categorically stated that Pakistan has refused to give military bases to the US and added that he had told all the political parties in a briefing that they have no such intention.

“Search for bases could be their wish. There’s no question of giving them bases, we have to see our interest.”