Daily Times

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan on Thursday said efforts were afoot to bridge the ‘communication gap’ with ‘misguided Afghans’ as it believed dialogue was the best way to reduce tensions with its neighbour.

“Afghans are being misguided by those who do not want to see peace in their country as well as in the region,” Spokesman Nafees Zakaria told a weekly briefing here at the Foreign Office. He said the recent tension over Pak-Afghan border was against the spirit of friendship between the two countries which have common religion and cultural values. He said Pakistan wanted to resolve any issues with the Afghan government through negotiations. “We have shared our apprehensions and disappointment with them and also urged them to take necessary steps to avoid recurrence of such unfortunate incidents in future,” he said.

The spokesman said more gates will be constructed at the entry and crossing points along the 2400-kilometre porous border, and added that the plan would be executed in phases. About the current situation at Torkham, the spokesman said both sides were in contact. He said Pakistan believed that effective border management was vital to addressing the concerns relating to terrorism on both sides of the border, and added that Islamabad was determined to put in place effective measures to regulate cross-border movements as part of its counter-terrorism efforts. About repatriation of refugees, the spokesman said it was time for Afghanistan as well as the international community to step forward in rehabilitating the three million Afghan refugees which Pakistan had been hosting for over three decades. “It is the earnest desire of Pakistan to see peace in Afghanistan so that refugees could return to their country in a dignified manner,” he said.

To a question about recently inaugurated dam in Afghan province of Herat with Indian funding, the spokesman said Pakistan does not comment over the course of relationship between two sovereign states.

About Pakistan’s efforts for membership of Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG), the Foreign Office spokesman said Pakistan had always maintained that rather than country-specific approach, all members states should adopt a non-discriminatory approach and ensure a level-playing field. To a question, the spokesman said Pakistan cooperated with India after the Pathankot incident and formed a joint investigation team which visited New Delhi and held meeting with the officials of the Indian national investigation agency. He said India’s NIA has already given clean chit to Pakistan.

On a US Senate bill which linked aid to Pakistan with action against Haqqani Network, the spokesman said Pakistan has taken action against terrorists indiscriminately. He said that Pakistan has achieved remarkable success during two years of Operation Zarb-e-Azab.

To a question about statement of US presidential candidate Donald Trump that people with roots in Pakistan and Saudi Arabia posed threat to America, the spokesman said he would not comment on an individual’s statement.