ISLAMABAD: Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi on Monday said that Pakistan has played its role in Afghan peace and reconciliation process and now it is up to the Afghan leadership to further move the process.
Addressing a press conference in Islamabad, the foreign minister said that the Afghan leadership would be responsible for the success or failure of the dialogue process.
He said Pakistan would continue with its role in the Afghan peace process as there should be no ambiguity.
Qureshi regretted that allegations were being levelled against Pakistan for the failure of Afghan peace process.
The foreign minister said Prime Minister Imran Khan had been consistently saying that there was no military solution to the Afghan issue.
He stressed that a well-negotiated, all-inclusive and broad-based political settlement was the only way forward to establish peace in Afghanistan.
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 three 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.
He further said it would be the collective responsibility of the international community and other neighbours of Afghanistan in that case, adding that 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 had accomplished about 98 percent work on fencing of Pak-Afghan border to stop illegal movement of people.
He said Pakistan was a facilitator and not a guarantor of peace in Afghanistan.
Qureshi said 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.
To another question, he said Pakistan had clear priorities and about China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), there was a national consensus.
The foreign minister said the CPEC had been targeted by the enemies of Pakistan, but they had unflinching resolve to foil all such attempts.
Citing different incidents like Serena, Dasu and Johar Town attacks, and Quetta blasts, he reiterated that work on the CPEC would continue.
Responding to another query, Qureshi said Pakistan had expedited its efforts to become a president of the UNSC during 2025-26.
About the incident of Afghan ambassador’s daughter, the foreign minister said that they had shared all the details and evidences with the Afghan delegation as their moral responsibility.
