Pakistan refuses to be a “scapegoat” for Afghanistan´s bloodshed or to fight wars for others, Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi told the United Nations in his address on Thursday. Prime Minister did not explicitly criticize US President Donald Trump´s new strategy on Afghanistan but made clear his displeasure with the renewed onus on Pakistan. “Having suffered and sacrificed so much due to our role in the global counter terrorism campaign, it is especially galling for Pakistan to be blamed for the military or political stalemate in Afghanistan,” Abbasi said.
PM rightly said that Pakistan is not prepared to fight the Afghan war on Pakistan´s soil. Nor it can endorse any failed strategy that will prolong and intensify the suffering of the people of Afghanistan and Pakistan and other regional countries.
After statements of Unites States President Donald Trump against Pakistan for not taking enough measures to eliminate terrorist hideouts inside the country near Afghan border, Pakistan condemned such statements. But UNGA was the most prestigious platform to express the sentiments of Pakistanis that despite rendering thousands of sacrifices in war against terror, holding Pakistan responsible for failed US policies in Afghanistan is very unfortunate.
Pakistan’s credentials to fight terror must not be questioned. After 9/11 Pakistan played very key role in decimating Al-Qaida. Pakistan army successfully launched numerous military operations to eliminate terrorists from its soil. Thousands of military personnel and civilians became victim of terrorism. Pakistan fought war against terror with own resources, country’s economic losses are estimated over 120 billion US dollars. But country remained firm in resolve to root out terrorism.
Taliban safe heaven are located not in Pakistan but in the large territory of Afghanistan, controlled by Afghan Taliban. Urgent and realistic goals in Afghanistan should be one concerted effort to eliminate the presence of Al-Qaida, Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS), TTP, Jamaat ul Ahrar and other terrorist organizations in Afghanistan. To end all cross border attacks, Pakistan has already suggested strengthening border control in order to control and monitor all movements across it.
Terrorism is now a global phenomenon which must be addressed comprehensively. Criticizing a country which has lost so must fighting terror is extremely unfortunate.
Criticizing a country that has lost so must fighting terror is extremely unfortunate.