MM News

ISLAMABAD: After being snubbed at the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) session on Afghanistan, Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi has regretted that the country was being blamed for the mistakes of others in Afghanistan.

“We have paid a huge price, we’re the victims, we have 80,000 casualties and we suffered economic losses,” he said, while addressing a press conference in Islamabad today (Monday) along with officials of Foreign Office (FO).

The foreign minister pointed that Pakistan had played its role in Afghan peace and reconciliation process and now, it was up to the Afghan leadership to further move the intra-Afghan dialogue process.

“Afghan leadership would be responsible for the success or failure of the dialogue process,” he said, adding that Pakistan would continue with its role in the Afghan peace process as there should be no ambiguity.

Qureshi regretted that allegations were being leveled against Pakistan for the failure of Afghan peace process. “Prime Minister Imran Khan had been consistently saying that there was no military solution to the Afghan issue,” he added.

FM Qureshi stressed that a well negotiated, all inclusive and broad-based political settlement was the only way forward to establish peace in Afghanistan. “We have been saying time and again that Pakistan has no ‘favourites’ in Afghanistan,” he added.

He said that Pakistan had urged the United States not to abandon Afghanistan as it would create power vacuum in the war-torn country. He reiterated that Pakistan was not supportive of a military takeover in Afghanistan,

Referring to the UNSC session on Afghanistan, FM Qureshi said India was in breach of its obligation as the United Nations Security Council’s president as it denied Pakistan’s request to brief the forum on the situation.

“We had made a request to be present there, but unfortunately, it was not accepted,” he said, adding that at the time of India assuming the UNSC presidency, Pakistan had asked it to operate objectively.

“Pakistan played a crucial role in bringing the Taliban to the negotiating table in 2019; facilitated the conclusion of the US, Taliban peace agreement in February 2020 in Doha; helped convene the intra-Afghan negotiations in September last year, and in December 2020, it contributed to the rules of procedure between the parties”, he added.

“We also urge the Afghan government to refrain from the blame game and engage with Pakistan in a meaningful manner to address the challenges necessary for peace, security, and progress in the region,” he added.

Talking about the recent terrorists’ attacks in Pakistan, he said that Dasu, Lahore, and Quetta blasts were attempts to disrupt the progress made in China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC).

“They have their own priorities and we have our own despite their efforts, we will continue to progress,” he said, adding that our spirits are high despite the attempts being made by the enemies of Pakistan to target CPEC.