Daily Times

ISLAMABAD: The Federal Information Minister said that Pakistan kept a close eye on the changing situation in Afghanistan and every effort is being made to move forward with a peaceful and all-inclusive form of government in Kabul.

Fawad Chaudhry vowed and said, “Even inclusive form of government would not be made in Kabul then we will let its impact on Pakistan. Our Afghan policy is in the interest of Pakistan.”

The minister said, “Prime Minister Imran Khan has said that Pakistan will be a partner in peace but not in war.”

Fawad Chaudhry said Pakistan’s land is not being used against Afghanistan and hopefully Afghanistan’s land will not be used against Pakistan.

“Political parliamentary leadership have agreed on the principle of non-interference,” he added.

He said that Prime Minister Imran Khan has already clarified that Pakistan will be a partner in peace not in conflict.

“Our soil is not being used against Afghanistan and we hope that their land will also not be used against Pakistan,” he said adding that all parliamentary groups have agreed on the principle of non-interference in the affairs of the neighbouring country.

It is pertinent to mention here that Taliban officials said on Friday they have taken control of 85% of the territory in Afghanistan, and international concern mounted over problems getting medicines and supplies into the country.

The information minister’s remarks are the latest in a string of statements by Pakistani authorities regarding growing concerns over rising violence in Afghanistan and its expected fallout in Pakistan, with the US drawdown in the war-torn country now in its final stages.

On Friday, Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi and National Security Adviser Moeed Yusuf had warned while briefing the Senate Committee on Foreign Affairs that the situation was turning volatile in Afghanistan.

Yusuf had termed the situation in the neighbourng country “extremely bad and out of Pakistan’s control”. He had warned of an impending risk of an attack by Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan militants, who, he had said, could enter Pakistan disguised as refugees.

Qureshi had expressed worry that in case of a civil war in Afghanistan, Pakistan would not be able to handle the influx of refugees.

‘Pakistan cannot dictate us’

Meanwhile, the spokesperson for the Tehreek-e-Taliban Afghanistan Suhail Shaheen said Pakistan is welcome to help the Taliban arrive at a negotiated settlement in Afghanistan but it “cannot dictate to us or impose its views on us”.

When asked how he views the Afghan Taliban’s relations with Pakistan to be, especially in the context of reports that the Taliban are not willing to listen to Pakistan, the spokesperson had said: “We want brotherly relations. They are neighbours, a Muslim country, and we have shared values — historical, religious and cultural.”

“They can help us in the peace process but can’t dictate to us or impose their views. And this is against international principles,” he had added.