TASHKENT: PM Imran Khan, addressing the Int’l Conference on South Asia-Central Asia Regional Connectivity-Challenges and Opportunities here on Friday (16th of July) has maintained that the state of affairs in Afghanistan were the key challenges to region’s peace.
Expressing disappointment over the insinuation by Afghan President Ashraf Ghani apropos Pakistan’s negative role in the Afghan peace process, PM said impromptu: “President Ghani (who happened to be in the conference) 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.” Stating that Pakistan’s economy was recovering after going through a difficult phase, he said the last thing Pakistan wanted was turbulence in Afghanistan.
Saying that it was unfair to blame Pakistan for the current state of affairs in Afghanistan, he reminded that Pakistan had also been hosting 3 million refugees for decades now. PM made clear that Pakistan did not have the capacity to cater to any more refugees. Imran Khan while asserting that Pakistan had made every effort to get the Taliban on dialogue table and have peaceful settlement, queried: “When there were 150,000 NATO troops…that was the time to ask the Taliban to come to the table. Why were the Taliban going to compromise once the exit date was given…why would they listen to us when they are sensing victory.”
Imran Khan pointed out since Afghanistan was the natural land bridge between Central Asia and South Asia, tranquility there was the most critical factor for regional connectivity: “Pakistan’s foremost priority is the stability in Afghanistan as it directly affects us,” he held. Reiterating that Pakistan was a partner in peace, Imran Khan said: “We encourage all the neighbors and international stakeholders for their positive roles for a political settlement in Afghanistan.”
Afghan Peace Conference Postponed: It is pertinent to mention here that Islamabad had cancelled the Afghan Peace Conference that Pakistan was hosting from Saturday 17th till Monday 19th July in order to provide momentum to the ongoing efforts for peace in Afghanistan. Conspicuous among others, who were expected to participate in the event, there are: Abdullah Abdullah, Karim Khalili, Mohammad Younus Qanooni, Gulbuddin Hekmatyar, Mohammad Hanif Atmar, Salahuddin Rabbani, Ismail Khan, Ata Mohammad Noor, Sayed Hamed Gailani, Sayed Eshaq Gailani, Batur Dostum and Mirwais Yasini.
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