ISLAMABAD – National Security Adviser Dr. Moeed Yusuf said Pakistan shouldnot be made a scapegoat as the country aimed to work collectively inAfghanistan however he added that it’ll require fixing the bilateralrelationship between the sides.
Speaking with a US-based publication over the phone, Yusuf said Pakistan isa victim in war against terror despite having nothing to do with the 9/11attacks.
He added that the South Asian country acted as a ‘front-line state’ in theUS-led war against terrorism in Afghanistan, which later caused a majorbacklash in Pakistan.
Emphasizing future plans, he said, “let’s let all that pass and we need towork out how to move forward as partners because neither side can dowithout the other in terms of stability in the region”.
The United States and Pakistan have a shared interest in working togetherin Afghanistan but it will require fixing the bilateral relationship, heclarified.
US-backed govt in Afghanistan used Pakistan as a scapegoat to ‘excuse itsown corruption and unpopularity’. Following the past encounters, “I’m notasking for any sympathy for my country but I’m thinking in terms of pure USselfish national interests. How does it help to push away a country of thissize, stature, and power?”, he questioned.
He further added that Pakistan contributed to bringing the insurgents ontable talk at Washington’s request; it’s the US who got cut out of thenegotiations.
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Commenting on the rapid changes in the neighboring country, he said “DidPakistan tell the Afghan National Army not to fight? Or Did Pakistan tellAshraf Ghani to escape?”
Adding that, “Somebody was lying and was misreporting, or somebody wasmistaken about the reality as the entire state collapsed in a week”. Yusufwent on to say that we want the US to increase its diplomatic and economicinvolvement in Afghanistan and to find a way forward to engagediplomatically with the new setup.
“The United States should not isolate Afghanistan to punish its newrulers”, he opined. US-Pakistan relationship can’t be just about war ragedAfghanistan as both sides share a broader range of interests. But first,the US must learn the lessons of the 90s, when it abandoned Afghanistan.”Otherwise it can expect a similar outcome”, he added.
Moeed further warned saying “If a security vacuum is left in Afghanistan byabandoning it, you will see that terrorist organizations take root again”.
