Afghanistan should cease making Pakistan a scapegoat for its personal failures: FM Qureshi

In an interview with Afghanistan’s Tolo Information at his workplace in Islamabad final week, the overseas minister stated the interviewer’s query on Taliban presence and freedom of motion in Pakistan was an “exaggeration”.

“Sadly when issues aren’t transferring in the suitable course, you are (Afghanistan) on the lookout for scapegoats and the favorite scapegoat you might have is Pakistan. When there’s failure inside (Afghanistan) you blame Pakistan for that.

“Pakistan is just not liable for the failure inside, for the squabbling occurring in Afghanistan, if the Afghan management cannot sit and work out a peace deal,” stated FM Qureshi.

The overseas minister stated that the majority of the Taliban management was not in Pakistan however Afghanistan and the previous was solely participating with them to “facilitate the peace course of” and attempt to be “useful and constructive”.

“Many have began recognising that internationally however some in Afghanistan nonetheless have that psychological blockade of accepting the truth that Pakistan is being real, constructive and honest as a result of Pakistan feels it’s in our enlightened curiosity that there’s peace and stability in Afghanistan.”

Pressed once more on whether or not the Taliban have been funded in Pakistan, the overseas minister responded: “You are caught within the outdated groove. Please get out of that groove. For those who stay caught on this then consider me you will be unable to journey far and we wish you to journey far.”

Qureshi confused that Pakistan wished Afghanistan to be peaceable and secure as a result of that will yield mutual dividends and advantages similar to regional connectivity, including that financial safety and promotion of regional bilateral commerce may solely be achieved by means of peace.

He stated there have been notions that Pakistan was concentrating on a selected faction however in actuality, “we need to have interaction with and be associates with everybody and be associates with Afghanistan and Afghans.”

FM Qureshi stated each nations realised there have been points between them and would at all times stay, therefore they’d agreed on a “structured and institutionalised mechanism” to type them out after they arose, referring to the Afghanistan-Pakistan Motion Plan for Peace and Solidarity. He identified that although it was functioning, it could possibly be used extra successfully.

He additionally added that Pakistan could be “glad” to coach Afghan safety forces however up to now, the Afghan management hadn’t taken the supply severely. “We truthfully really feel that we will be of help […] We communicate the identical language, , culturally, we now have so many similarities. They are going to really feel at house,” stated FM Qureshi.

‘Taliban keen for peace’

The overseas minister expressed the idea that the Taliban have been additionally prepared and keen for peace, because of the value they’d suffered as properly within the years of combating. Qureshi stated it could be an “exaggeration” to carry the Taliban solely liable for the growing violence in Afghanistan, mentioning that different components similar to Daesh (Islamic State) and inner Afghan factions additionally performed a task.

When questioned if he could be towards a Taliban navy takeover, the overseas minister categorically stated: “We’ve by no means stated, supported or advocated a takeover of Kabul by drive.”

He stated any resolution in regards to the kind and construction of presidency in Afghanistan was a call for the Afghan folks.

When questioned on any continued understanding with the US close to Afghanistan after its withdrawal, the overseas minister stated Pakistan could be keen to assist additional the peace course of, Afghanistan’s rehabilitation and reconstruction and countering terrorism however it could not be offering navy bases to the US.

Qureshi was additionally requested about Prime Minister Imran Khan’s feedback calling Osama bin Laden a martyr within the Nationwide Meeting in June 2020, to which he stated the premier’s feedback had been “quoted out of context” and misconstrued by a selected part of the media.

The overseas minister was additionally requested about Pakistan’s home points, notably the Pashtun Tahaffuz Motion and the arrests of a few of its leaders to which he responded that anybody could possibly be arrested in the event that they broke the legislation and that the PTM had illustration within the NA.

Equally, he hailed the media freedom in Pakistan and claimed the press was “fully unbiased”. “We as democrats don’t consider in gagging the press as a result of right now you can’t cover issues beneath the carpet even if you wish to due to social media and the brand new instruments accessible,” Qureshi stated.

He additionally confused that every one of Pakistan’s establishments have been in “concord” with the federal government and on the identical web page.

The overseas minister was additionally pressed on the Uighurs in China to which Qureshi challenged whether or not every little thing wanted to be addressed publicly. He added that China was a pal of Pakistan and “you undertake a special strategy with associates.”

Talking on India’s relations with Afghanistan, Qureshi stated the 2 nations had a proper to have bilateral relations however the purported use of Afghan territory to destabilise Pakistan was a priority. He added that Pakistan had intelligence and knowledge backing these considerations.