Zardari vows to protect national interests, sovereignty, security

ISLAMABAD: President Asif Ali Zardari on Sunday reaffirmed that Pakistan remained “firmly committed to safeguarding its national interests, regional sovereignty, and security” — in reaction to the unprovoked attacks carried out by the Afghan Taliban and associated terrorist groups.

Read more: ISPR to Afghan Taliban: Pakistan to continue neutralizing terror targets

On the other hand, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif in a statement said Pakistan had “repeatedly provided information to Afghanistan about the terrorist elements” operating from its territory.

The terrorists organisations, the prime minister added, are carrying out actions against Pakistan from Afghan soil and receive support from elements present in Afghanistan.

Shehbaz said Islamabad “expects that the Afghan interim government will ensure that its territory is not used by terrorist elements against Pakistan”.

Read more: Pakistan warns of terrorist threat emanating from Afghanistan

NO COMPROMISE ON KASHMIR

Afghan Interim Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi is in India where he through a joint statement declared Jammu and Kashmir a part of India while also describing terrorism an domestic issue of Pakistan — a total negation of facts that show that the Afghan Taliban are actively supporting a plethora of terrorists groups, ranging from TTP and ETIM to Al Qaeda and Daesh.

Read more: China for eradicating breeding ground for terrorism

That’s why the president through a statement said “Pakistan will never accept any disputed or misleading position on Jammu and Kashmir”.

Zardari said “it is unfortunate that the current Interim Afghan administration has turned away from the just struggle of the oppressed people of Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir, thereby doing injustice to both history and the Muslim Ummah”.

TERRORISM UNDER THE AFGHAN TALIBAN

With the Afghan Taliban continuing to house, support and promote the terrorists groups that a threat to the regional peace, the president talked about the facts related to terrorism.

That’s why Zardari said “attacks launched from the territory of the Interim Afghan government by India-backed Khawarij terrorists are a well-documented reality, confirmed in successive United Nations Security Council monitoring reports”.

To argue Pakistan’s case, the president, just like the prime minister, said “Pakistan has repeatedly made it clear that its civilians and security personnel are being targeted through the nexus of the Indian-sponsored Khawarij and other terror groups”.

Zardari urged the Interim Afghan government to take concrete and verifiable action against anti-Pakistan terrorist elements operating from the Afghan soil.

He emphasised that terror menace of the Khawarij and other terror groups sponsored by India remain the greatest threat to regional peace and stability.

“Terrorism is a shared challenge and its burden cannot be placed on any single country,” the president remarked.

On the other hand, Zardari underscored that Pakistan desires a peaceful, stable, and prosperous Afghanistan, but the brotherly relations must be based on mutual respect, security cooperation, and a shared commitment to regional peace.