FM Qureshi urges Afghan govt to refrain from blame-game

FM Qureshi categorically rejected the allegations levelled against Pakistan in the UN

ISLAMABAD (Dunya News) – Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi on Monday urged the government of Afghanistan to refrain from the blame-game and engage in a meaningful and constructive dialogue.

Addressing a press conference in Islamabad on Monday, he categorically rejected the allegations levelled against Pakistan in the United Nations and said that Pakistan should not be declared responsible for failures of others.

The foreign minister also made it abundantly clear that Pakistan had no favourites in Afghanistan, adding that the future of Afghanistan is up to the Afghans.

Qureshi went on to say that peace and stability in Afghanistan is everyone’s responsibility, adding instability in Afghanistan will be a great loss to Pakistan.

He said, “There is a national consensus on CPEC and attempts are being made to target this important national project but the work on CPEC projects will continue despite difficulties.”

The FM further said that a diplomatic mechanism is available for talks with Afghanistan and if Kabul has a problem as a neighbor, it should be raised through the existing mechanism. “Pakistan believes that instead of blaming each other, we should move forward for lasting peace,” he added.

He said Pakistan facilitated the Afghan Peace Process with utmost sincerity. He said Pakistan is a facilitator and not the guarantor of peace in Afghanistan. He urged the international community and the regional countries to play their due role to facilitate peace and stability in Afghanistan.

FM Qureshi said Prime Minister Imran Khan has always said that there is no military solution to the situation in Afghanistan. He said a negotiated, inclusive and broad-based political settlement is the only way forward to establish peace in Afghanistan. 

He said 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, adding that the Afghan leadership would be responsible for the success or failure of the dialogue process.

"Pakistan would continue with its role in the Afghan peace process as there should be no ambiguity," he said.

To a question the foreign minister maintained that they had facilitated the Afghan civilians despite the coronavirus pandemic.

“Pakistan has been a generous and hospitable host to the 3 million Afghan refugees for four decades despite its limited resources,” he said, adding that if there was any new influx of Afghan refugees, Pakistan did not have the capacity to host them.

The foreign minister said it would be the collective responsibility of the international community and other immediate neighbours of Afghanistan in that case. Pakistan had been urging the international community to play their due role in the reconstruction of Afghanistan and for the regional peace and stability.

He said Pakistan is a facilitator and not the guarantor of peace in Afghanistan.

"India had violated its obligation as the United Nations Security Council’s president by not allowing Pakistan’s request to brief the forum on the situation and its role in Afghanistan peace process," Qureshi said.