News
Friday, July 26, 2013
Islamabad wants positive engagement with Kabul: FO* Foreign Office says Pakistan favoured Taliban office in Doha as
part of larger reconciliation process in AfghanistanISLAMABAD: Pakistan said on Thursday it wants positive engagement with Afghanistan for peace, security and stability in the region.
Addressing weekly news briefing in Islamabad, Foreign Office (FO) spokesman Aizaz Ahmad Chaudhry said Pakistan has exercised maximum restraint to the Afghan allegations on different occasions. “We will continue to do that in future as well as we are sincere in seeking a peaceful settlement of Afghan issue,” he said.
The spokesman expressed the hope that both the countries would engage on an agenda, which is beneficial for the entire region.
About the visit of Adviser on Foreign Affairs and National Security Sartaj Aziz to Kabul, the spokesperson said Aziz held meetings with the Afghan leadership in a cordial environment and handed over an invitation letter from Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif to Afghan President Hamid Karzai to visit Pakistan.
The spokesman said Hamid Karzai has accepted the invitation and his visit schedule is now being worked out.
The two governments are constantly engaged in making that visit possible.
He said Pakistan had supported the establishment of a Taliban office in Doha as part of larger reconciliation process in Afghanistan.
“We are convinced that an intra-Afghan dialogue and Afghan-owned peace process is the way forward to achieve peace in Afghanistan.”
About drone attacks, Chaudhry said, “Our policy on drone attacks is very clear and the new government has laid a great deal of emphasis on registering its viewpoint on drone attacks with the United States and the world at large.”
He said that drone attacks are violation of Pakistan’s sovereignty and proving counter productive. These strikes are not serving any objective, he added.
“This very viewpoint of Pakistan is being conveyed to the United States at all the forums.”
To a question about Indo-Pak relations, the spokesman said Pakistan has already expressed its concern on the situation in Indian-held Kashmir (IHK), especially after the desecration of holy Quran there.
He said the Kashmiris’ movement for their rights to self-determination is indigenous and it could not be stopped with force.
About the proposed visit of United States Secretary of State John Kerry to Pakistan, the spokesman said dates for his visit are being finalised and due to scheduling problem, these dates have not been fixed yet.
Rejecting the notion of “restrained” relations with United States, the spokesman said Pakistan has been engaged at various levels with United States. He said both the countries have agreed on many issues but on the same time they are not agreed on some other issues.
On the issue of securing the release of Dr Aafia Siddiqui in exchange for Dr Shakeel, the spokesman said Pakistan and United States have no such prisoner exchange agreement.
About the admission of an Indian official that New Delhi itself was behind Mumbai and the parliament attacks, Chaudhry said, “We have raised this issue with the Indian authorities and the Indian government in its response has declined that its official has made any such statement. agencies
Courtesy www.dailytimes.com.pk