Instability in Afghanistan is not in Pakistan’s interest: US

The US State Department says that it is not in Pakistan’s interest to see instability and violence in Afghanistan and that Washington and Islamabad continue to work closely on counter-terrorism threats.

Marking the 75th anniversary of US-Pakistan relations in Washington Monday, the US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said Pakistan has also made similar commitments as the commitments of the new leaders of Afghanistan, especially in the fight against terrorism with the US.

“We continue to work closely on counter-terrorism threats; we have a shared stake in Afghanistan’s future after two decades of war,” said Blinken.

“We have had our differences (Pakistan and US) that is no secret but we share a common objective, a more stable, a more peaceful and free future for all of Afghanistan and for those across the border region.”

The US Department Spokesperson Ned Price meanwhile said that it was not in Pakistan’s interest if there be insecurity and instability in Afghanistan.

“It was not in Pakistan’s interest to see instability and violence in Afghanistan; the support for the people of Afghanistan is something we discuss regularly with our Pakistani partners; our efforts continue to improve the lives, livelihoods and humanitarian conditions of the Afghan people,” Price added.

“And see to it that the Taliban (IEA) live up to the commitments that they have made and of course Pakistan is implicated in many of the same commitments.”

At the same time, Bilawal Bhutto Zardari, Pakistan’s foreign minister, also expressed his satisfaction with the return of friendly diplomacy with the United States, which was strained last year due to the anti-American statements of Imran Khan, the former prime minister of this country.

“I fully agree that great goals can be achieved through joint cooperation, the relations between Pakistan and the United States have not only strengthened and gained strength, but also proved the historical relations of the two countries that whenever we work together, we will achieve great goals,” said Zardari.

However, Sher Mohammad Abbas Stanikzai, Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs, in response to the statements of the Foreign Minister of Pakistan, said that Pakistan wanted to sacrifice the people of Afghanistan due to economic problems and by allowing the American drones [so as] to get millions of dollars from its soil.

“With each drone (being used against the soil of Afghanistan) millions of dollars are made; don’t trade with the lives of these poor people,” said Stanikzai. “If you (Pakistan) don’t have food or water, look for another solution to meet your needs.”

Stanikzai warned that the IEA will not remain silent over the statements of Pakistani officials and that the US violation of the Doha Agreement is not acceptable to them either.

He also condemned Shehbaz Sharif’s recent statements about the existence of terrorist groups in Afghanistan and said that they will not remain silent if such statements continue.

“We still have heroes who are standing in line and if we order them, they can advance even 10,000 kilometers in any direction; it is that Afghanistan from one point of which the sun would rise and at the other end it would set; it is the same Afghanistan whose borders were extended 10,000 kilometers toward east and west,” Stanikzai warned.

In addition, Stanikzai stated that the US has repeatedly violated the Doha Agreement despite having promised that it would not interfere in Afghanistan’s internal affairs. He said Washington’s current interventions in Afghanistan will have unfortunate consequences.