KABUL – Afghan authorities on Tuesday praised US president Donald Trump foradopting a more harsh policy towards Pakistan over its controversial rolein the fight against terrorism, TOLO News has reported.
They said Afghanistan hopes that the US officials will take practical stepsto push Pakistan to honor its responsibilities with regards to the matter.
President Trump’s new stance marks the second phase of US’s war strategyfor Afghanistan and South Asia. It is hoped that in this phase, the USmounts more pressure on Pakistan, said CEO Abdullah Abdullah’s spokesmanMujiburrahman Rahimi.
“I think we have now entered the phase where Pakistan needs to practicallycooperate with the United States. If it does not act, other options mightbe taken into consideration to put pressure on Pakistan to cooperate,”added Rahimi.
Former Afghan president Hamid Karzai, who appears to be one of the majorcritics of US war policy in Afghanistan, has also welcomed Trump’s freshstance on Pakistan saying the people of Afghanistan have been waiting forsuch a move for fifteen years
“Trump’s tweet on Pakistan’s duplicitous position over the past 15 years isvindication that the war on terror is not in bombing Afghan villages andhomes but in the sanctuaries beyond Afghanistan. I welcome today’s clarityin President Trump’s remarks and propose a joint US – regional coalition topressurize the Pakistan military establishment to bring peace to not justAfghanistan but the entire region,” said Karzai in a Tweet.
At the start of new year, President Trump in a Tweet lashed out againstPakistan over its counter-terrorism policies and said that the US foolishlyspent billions of dollars on Pakistan and got nothing in return.
“The United States has foolishly given Pakistan more than 33 billiondollars in aid over the last 15 years and they have given us nothing butlies and deceit, thinking of our leaders as fools.” Trump wrote on hisTwitter on Monday, adding that: “They give safe havens to the terrorists wehunt in Afghanistan, with little help. No more!”
The presidential palace has also welcomed the US move on Pakistan.
“The resistance demonstrated by the people of Afghanistan and thesacrifices made by the Afghan security forces are the reason that todaythe world has reached to a right consensus towards the region, PresidentAshraf Ghani’s spokesman, Shahhussain Murtazawi said
Political commentators say that at this stage, the Afghan government needsto undertake more comprehensive and inclusive measures towards getting thebenefit from the US policy on Pakistan.
“Pakistan must be depicted as the supporter of terrorism in the IslamicCooperation Organization so that those Islamic countries which aresupporting Pakistan, change their policies towards Pakistan,” said FaramarzTamanna, Director General of the Center for Strategic Studies of theMinistry of Foreign Affairs.
Members of Afghanistan’s senate have also announced support for the Trump’sstatement on Pakistan.
This is not a simple issue that the president of the United States lashesout at Pakistan on the first day of the new year,” said Senate chairman,Fazel Hadi Muslimyar.
“It is a good sign that he has adopted the right policy against terroristsand their supporters,” said Senator Mohammad Alam Ezedyar.
“We strongly support the move, there is a need for practical steps to betaken against Pakistan,” said senator Anarkali Honaryar.
Trump’s fresh stance on Pakistan adds to the already fragile relationsbetween Washington and Islamabad that underwent major ups and downsfollowing president Trump’s inauguration in 2017.
A few hours after Trump’s statement, Pakistani foreign minister Khawja Asifsaid that Pakistan will give a proper response to the US’s “inappropriate”timing.
“We will respond to President Trump’s tweet shortly inshallah…Will letthe world know the truth. Difference between facts & fiction,” said Asif ina twit.
Pakistani defense minister Khurram Dastgir Khan also hit back at Trump’sTweet and said, “[Pakistan] as anti-terror ally has given free access tothe US: land & air communication, military bases & intel cooperation thatdecimated Al-Qaeda over last 16yrs, but they have given us nothing butinvective & mistrust.”
In August, Trump unveiled a new U.S. strategy for the war in Afghanistanaimed at defeating the Afghan Taliban and the Haqqani Network, anaffiliated group that operates in Pakistan, something Pakistan alwaysdenied.
Pakistan’s Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi and Foreign Minister KhawajaAsif are to hold an emergency meeting on Tuesday over the Trump Tweets.
On Tuesday, Pakistan summoned the U.S. ambassador to against Trump’s angryTweet about Pakistan’s “lies and deceit”, while Foreign Minister KhawajaAsif dismissed the outburst as a political stunt.