Pakistan’s Foreign Affairs Ministry on Tuesday issued a statement and raised its concerns over Afghan President Hamid Karzai’s recent remarks against one of the Pakistani state institutions.
In an interview with Pakistani private TV channel Geo, President Karzai said that the military and intelligence agency of Pakistan are adopting extremist methods based on religion to destabilise Afghanistan.
President Karzai said, “I have no complaints against the people of Pakistan because they shared their home and food with Afghans during the ‘Jehad’ years but we seriously have issues with the military and intelligence agency of Pakistan because they are using extremist methods based on religion to destabilize Afghanistan.”
“The use of extremism as a tool against Afghanistan will one day put Pakistan itself into trouble,” Karzai’s office said in a statement on Sunday.
President Karzai said that the military apparatus of Pakistan and its intelligence agency has been always misusing the Afghan good-will to make Afghanistan’s government work as their puppet and surrender to the evil will of that country (Pakistan).
The statement released by Pakistan’s Foreign Affairs Ministry said, “The Government of Pakistan has noted with concern a recent remark by President Hamid Karzai against one of the Pakistan state institutions. In an interview to a local channel, the President has attempted to create an impression as if some institutions of Pakistan are not fully supporting the objectives of bringing peace to Afghanistan.”
The statement further added, “The Government of Pakistan and all its institutions have unanimity of views on issues of national security and foreign policy. In this context, promoting peace and stability to Afghanistan is an important pillar of Pakistan’s foreign policy which is supported by all state institutions. However, the success of this policy requires reciprocal action and good will on the part of Afghan government.”
“It is in our common interest to jointly address the common challenges of terrorism and extremism being faced by our region. The newly elected leadership of Pakistan has reiterated its resolve to fully support an Afghan-led and Afghan-owned peace process. Pakistan will continue to support reconciliation efforts in Afghanistan in all its earnest for achieving durable peace, stability and development in our region,” the statement said.
Afghanistan and Pakistan have had strained relations since the time Pakistan was formed in 1947, after the British colonial rule in India ended.
The comments came in at a time when the US Secretary of State John Kerry is due to visit India and Pakistan later this month, to discuss about the crucial security and counterterrorism issues with the Pakistani civil and military leaderships.
The US Secretary of State during his visit will be discussing regional security issues, ways to reconcile with the Taliban, safe exit of the US-led Nato forces by 2014 and counter-terrorism cooperation.
John Kerry who sought to visit Pakistan shortly after his appointment as the Secretary of State could manage to have a direct interaction with the Chief of Army Staff General Ashfaq Pervez Kayani twice, once in Jordan and another in Brussels where he discussed the reconciliation process in Afghanistan.
In Brussels, he hosted talks between Afghan President Hamid Karzai and Pakistani Army Chief Ashfaq Kayani since both the neighbouring countries were locked in a state of mistrust over border disputes
Tolonews
Tags: government, Karzai's, Pakistan, Reacts, speech, to
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