ISLAMABAD: Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi has said that peace and stability in Afghanistan will benefit the entire region.
In a statement on the prevailing situation in Afghanistan, the foreign minister said the neighbouring countries of Afghanistan are well aware of the situation there and cautioned that the worsening situation in Afghanistan would affect them all.
He said that Afghan people have been bracing the devastating impacts of decades of war and they want durable peace. He said that Afghan people are suffering due to mistakes made in the past. The foreign minister said everyone should learn from their past mistakes and not repeat them.
He appreciated the positive signals coming from Afghanistan, in a reference to the conciliatory messaging the Taliban have been putting out since their takeover of Kabul on August 15. “The Taliban leadership is in contact with everyone,” he said, urging the international community to not isolate Afghanistan, as it would have an adverse impact on the country.
He said the international community is acknowledging Pakistan’s role in evacuation of diplomatic missions of various countries from Afghanistan.
The foreign minister said that India has been the top spoiler and playing a negative role against Pakistan and for this purpose, it has pulled together different terrorist groups to carry out terrorist activities.
He warned that India is trying to destabilise regional peace and stressed upon keeping a strict vigil over such designs. “India is peddling negative propaganda to discredit Pakistan,” Qureshi said, adding that New Delhi is persistent in its pursuit of depriving the region of peace. “There are concerns; we need to remain cautious,” he added.
