Pakistan renews support for Afghanistan sovereignty

PESHAWAR (Pajhwok Pakistan has renewed its commitment to a peaceful and sovereign Afghanistan, saying it is not playing the role of a spoiler in the neighbouring country.

Pakistan was constantly raising its concerns over rising terrorism and cross-Durand Line attack, Foreign Office spokesperson Asim Iftikhar Ahmed said.

Addressing a news conference in Islamabad on Friday, he said the objective behind involving a tribal jirga in talks with the outlawed Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) was to establish peace in Afghanistan.

Iftikhar alleged India had always played the spoiler’s role in Afghanistan. But Pakistan would continue to work for promoting peace in the region, he promised.

He claimed: “Everyone is aware of India’s role in Afghanistan. We want the neighbouring country to be peaceful … we do not want to see the role of any spoiler here.”

About the flow of Indian aid through Pakistan into Afghanistan, the spokesman said the step had been taken on humanitarian grounds.

In April, Pakistan extended by two months the time for transportation of Indian wheat and lifesaving medicines to Afghanistan via the Attari-Wagah border crossing.

The extension manifested Islamabad’s sincere efforts towards addressing the humanitarian crisis in Afghanistan, he insisted.

In November 2021, Pakistan had allowed, as a special gesture to the Afghan people, the transportation of 50,000 MTs of wheat and life-saving medicines from India to Afghanistan via the Wagah border.