Islamabad: Pakistan’s Foreign Minister Khawaja Asif on Monday said that they are against India’s intervention in Afghanistan which has created chaos in the war torn country.
“Pakistan is against India’s intervention in Afghanistan,” Asif told the media after the fourth round of Pakistan-US Track-II diplomatic talks in Islamabad, Geo reported.
Asif also stressed that the ‘terror safe havens’ in Afghanistan need to be removed immediately. He also added the US-Afghan policy was damaging the reconciliation process in the country.
He said Islamabad suggested that Afghan refugees in Pakistan needed to be sent home. But US officials objected, saying Kabul was “too unstable”.
“It is not our problem,” Asif said while referring to the refugees. “The US can invest in the replacement of these refugees to their home country.”
He added that US-Pakistan relations needed to be worked on and the “blame game” needed to end so that both countries may work towards mutual understanding.
Earlier, US Ambassador David Hale said India’s role in Afghanistan was restricted to only economic assistance. He added that both Pakistan and India needed to improve relations and urged both countries to make efforts for regional peace.
Hale said the US had told Pakistani officials to take decisive action against terrorists active from its soil.
“US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson has conveyed to the political and military leadership in Pakistan that the Pakistan-US relations are at a crucial juncture and if they don’t cooperate, we will act accordingly,” he said.
The meeting in Islamabad was also attended by Foreign Secretary Tehmina Janjua, Hale and Wilson Center Asia Programme Deputy Director Michael Kugelman among others.
